Brother of Fire
by Little Mistress
Summary: post x2 story. mainly pyrooc but all other characters are involved. the final war is beginning, and many choices and sacrifices are being made. rating due to language and violence (hey its war!) please read and review.
1. Act 1: Enter Mutants

Notes: okie dokie. I finally got my act together and cleaned this whole story up. This is the same story, just with no (I hope) spelling or grammar errors. Also, I changed a few words here and there. I have decided that I will (hopefully with much support from you readers), turn this story into a nice long piece of fiction. As always, feel free to leave feedback for me, and any suggestions or things you would like to see happen in this story. Im actually trying to keep all of the characters in character for this story, and if anyone has any suggestions or spies any faults in my writing, feel free to point them out to me. All the help I can get is appreciated 

Disclaimers: The original characters of Zillah and Ghost belong to me. I will probably throw in a couple more of my own character down the road. The other characters in this (Pyro, Magneto, Cyclops, Wolverine, Professor Xavier, Nightcrawler, Strom, Marrow, Jubilee, Kitty, Colossus, and many more down the road) all belong to Marvel, and aren't really featured in the movie that much. 

Storyline: This is supposed to take place post X2, with the idea that Pyro has joined Magneto, Deathstrike, Stryke, and Jean Gray are dead. The impending war between the humans are the mutants is drawing near, everyone is going to find out that there are more then one sides to pick from. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


John Allerdyce woke up with a start. Where was he? This wasn't his bed, this wasn't even his room. Where was his roommate, Bobby Drake? The sun filtered in though the cracks of the scarlet velvet curtains. He looked around, he was sleeping luxurious 4 post, heaven wooden bed. Antique mahogany furniture were placed randomly, yet functionally around the room. Where was he? The mutant known as Pyro slid his feet to the floor and stood up. He didn't seem to be in immediate danger so he might as well take in the rich surroundings. Something he hadn't really had before. 

John walked across the room where an exit to a small balcony lay though glass double doors. Pushing the doors open, he was greeted with fresh, cool mountain air. Why was he not in the mansion, why was in the middle of this mountainous area? Looking around the balcony, he saw that the mansion he was in wasn't just big, it was enormous. John smiled, so this is what it felt like to own more money then you know what to do with. Then it hit him, the attack at the school, Bobby, Rouge, Magneto, and finally turning his back on his friends and joining up with the bad guys. The bad guys, who's to say that Magneto and Mystique were the bad mutants anyway? They just didn't want to wait for the humans to turn on mutants everywhere. Was it so wrong to want to fight to survive? John shook his head, no, this is what he wanted, he knew Magneto thought his powers strong, and apparently useful. Much more then he would have gotten back at Xavier's school anyway. There, he wouldn't have been able to develop his powers to their true, destructive potential. 

John shook his head again, clearing his mind and taking a deep breathe. The air was much nicer here anyway. So was the view, and no screaming kids to deal with either. Taking one last look at the evergreens that surrounded the home, he stepped back into the room, closing the double doors behind him. Quickly looking around the room, he spotted a door jutting off to the side. A quick crank of his neck, and he realized that it was the bathroom, complete with a large shower, and a wide jacuzzi. "Man, Obi-wan mentioned the dark side was powerful, but he didn't mention that they were loaded." He couldn't help but crack a small grin. Further snooping around the room, he came to a heavy set chest at the foot of the bed. He opened it and found to his amazement a decent selection of clothes, all in his size. Smiling again, he closed the trunk and opened the door to his room. He cautiously stuck his head outside the door and listened attentively for any signs that there was anyone else around. Hearing nothing, he continued out into the hallway, which was bright with sunlight and sparsely decorated. John continued down the hallway, and down 2 flights of stairs, coming to what probably was the entrance way to the mansion. Suddenly, John stopped in his tracks. He could faintly make out the aroma, of, coffee, which ment that someone else was up. Going with the the curious mood he was in, he followed his noes through a glass arch way, and though 2 more spacious rooms, to what appeared to be the kitchen and dining area. Expecting to see the people who brought him here, John found himself alone in the stainless steal kitchen. He was just about to backtrack, when someone spoke to him.

"Well now, take it you had a restful sleep Mr.Allerdyce."

John whipped his head around to find Magneto leaning against the doorframe.

"Uh, yea." He had no idea what to say. "Where are we?"

"Ah, a lot more quit then the school I assume? Yes, I never understood how Charles tolerated all those children. Well, no matter, you in a select area of mountain range located in upper Washington. That is all you need to know." 

John frowned and kept his gaze on Magneto steady. 

"Well now, we don't want you defecting back to that little school of yours and telling all your friends where we live now do we?"

"Don't worry, I have a feeling im going to be liking it here a bit more." John let the corner of his mouth pull up into a half smile.

Magneto eyed him for a brief moment and then he gave a barely noticeable nod. "That is what I though Mr. Allerdyce."

  
  


Had it actually been 6 months? 6 months since he had seen his friends, mutants like him, and gone to Xavier's school for the gifted? If he didn't know any better, John would have guessed it to be a mere 6 days. Time had gone back quickly for him. He found that he was always busy, now that he was with Magneto, although, there wasn't any real form of schooling taught to him.. With his time away from the school, John had learned much more about what his true powers were capable of. He had been able to, with the fine thing of Magneto, perfect his manipulation of the flame. John was able to hurl fireballs, and now waves, of burning power 10 fold of what he had been able to 6 months ago. In addition to his powers, he had been taught a little hand to hand combat, courtesy of Mystique. John winced at the mere thought of that women. Although quite disturbing in beauty, she was cold as ice. Something others had thought of him as a cold person, he didn't hold a flame to her, relatively speaking. Though their training, she had never shown any signs of relent or pity, not even when she kicked to hard and fractured something. Though, he was now quite a good fighter, even if he didn't have him mutant powers.

Fighting wasn't the only thing he had learned with those two. He learned that in the end Magneto was right. There was so much hate and anger towards mutants, all over the world. In those 6 months, John had witnessed so much misery and cruelness bestowed upon mutants by the human race. Medical experiments gone wrong, torture, hate. The professor was wrong, mutants should not have to work together with this race, after what they did to his kind. Working together, the 3 of them had managed to put a few anti-mutant facilities out of commission. Although he was never really allowed to discuss future plans with Magneto or Mystique, he still felt as if he was a strong part of this team. There had been times where he had been in trouble and his ass had been saved by either of them. John winced again. Like that time he had accidently hit a fuel tank with a fire ball. Magneto had pull together a nearby chucks of steel to shield him from the debree. He felt stupid about that move for days after that mission. The one they had gone to rescue a mutant being tested on, someone called Omega Blue, or what was it, Green.... It didn't matter.

John stretched out on the couch. The black leather couch was his favorite. For the past few days, he had just been lounging around the property. They hadn't really done anything in a while. Yawning like a lazy tomcat, John decided he was happy they were on vacation. 

"Don't bother to get comfortable Mr. Allerdyce, we'll be leaving soon." Magneto was already in his battle wear, which John always thought of as a bit extravagant. "Infant, get to the helicopter right now. Mystique is already ready to leave." 

John nodded, no questions asked. He stood up and headed for the grand entrance, making sure to grab his black leather jacket from its resting place on the wall. He walked ahead of Magneto to the small chopper pad in the center of the roundabout. Mystique was already buckled in, and briefly glanced at him as he got in "Where we headed?"

"Colorado." Mystique replied in her multi-octave voice. 

"What are we going there for any way?" John watched Mystique start up the chopper. He turned to find that Magneto was on his way.

"New recruit." She flipped a switch, and the main blades of the chopper came to life. 

Magneto stepped into to co-pilot side and turned to Mystique. "Are we ready?"

"Yes." Mystique flipped on a few more switches, and John heard the smaller propeller start. Soon they lifted off the ground and rose above the tree line, the afternoon sun was brite, but that didn't stop them.

  
  
  
  


A few hours later, John opened his eyes as he felt the helicopter decelerate to a hover. He hastily rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked down to see that they were over, what appeared to be a maximum security prison. ".....wha-"

"Unfortunately our government was able to get a hold of the mutant before we could." Magneto turned to John.

"How did they find out about it before us?" He was already getting out his lighter, the same one he's had for years.

"Dear boy don't you keep up with the news, the killings down in Michigan. 8 humans, massacred."

"....oh, I just hope the dude knows were here to help him."

Magneto turn back to Mystique. "Yes, im sure she will...." John didn't hear him.

"Mr. Allerdyce, please make us a landing area, preferably in the middle of that main security building down there."

"Sure thing." With a slight smile, John flicked opened his lighter and lite it in one fluid motion. Pulling the flame into his hand, he hurled it towards a large concrete building, watching as the fireball grew in size and exploded , leaving nothing in a quarter mild radius but debre and chaos. 

Finding a larger patch of land unoccupied by burring rubble, Mystique landed the chopper and John hopped out, followed by Magneto. Sirens and alarms were going off left and right. A squar of guards came out and surrounded the three of them. John rolled his eyes and just looked over at Magneto, who was already handling the situation. Using his mutant powers, he yanked the guns from each of the guards, and before they could utter a protest, he hit them in the head with the butts of their own guns. 

"There." Mystic gestured over to a particular building, as Magneto walked to it. Raising his arms he pulled off the entire wall. 

John's eyebrows raised. SHE was the one that had caused the Colorado massacre?

"Ms. Rathen, my name is Magneto, this is Mystique, and this is Pyro. We are here to make you an offer, either you join us in our fight against the human race, or I can put this wall back on and we'll leave you to your own." Magneto talked calmly. Surprisingly though, That girl was just as calm. She sat slight and petite on the bed attached to wall. She had shoulder length black hair with two streaks of bright red in the front. Her features were strong Asian, and her skin was a soft caramel color. Her eyes were the only obvious sign of a mutation, her's lacked the colored pigment found in all irises. 

She delicately placed one foot on the floor, followed by the other. Looking right into Magnetos eye's she smiled. "Glad to have joined the cause."

The corner of Magneto's mouth turned up into a small smile. "Respectable choice Ms. Rathen. Welcome to the Brotherhood."

John had been staring the whole time. He thought her quite attractive, but something puzzled him. What kind of mutation did she posses. It must have been something unique to have Magneto so interested in her. 

Magneto looked around and addressed all of them. "Before we have the reinforcements arrive, we should take haste. Ms. Rathen, if you would like, I will further explain my offer in the helicopter ride to our residence."

The mystery girl nodded and proceeded to follow Magneto's lead as he and Mystique walked for the chopper. Ad she passed John he glanced at her and gave a friendly smile. "Hey."

She looked at him, and smiled back. Attractive, she thought to herself. "Hi there."

"Hurry up. Children." Mystique was already starting up the chopper. 

John and Zillah jogged to the chopper and as soon as they were both in, it rose swiftly from the ground and made back for Washington, making for the beginning of a ordeal that would change the lives of both the Brotherhood and the X-Men in a way that even they couldn't begin to fathom. 

  
  
  
  


Zillah smiled, she was going to like it here. Beautiful surroundings, interesting atmosphere. As soon as her cell had been torn open, she had known it must have been some mutant group. Zillah knew she was one of the more, skillful, mutants out there, and it seemed that this Magneto had taken an interest in her abilities, and obviously something more then that. . 

Letting her mind drift back to the helicopter ride, she curled her feet under her body. The soft black leather was so comforting, much better then a springy, worn down mattress, which was what she'd been stuck with in the prison. She had taken a seat in the back of the chopper, next to that boy called Pyro. In the front, Magneto and the lady with the blue skin, Mystique was it, were discussing their escape rouit, leaving Pyro and Zillah to entertain themselves.

He had eyed her for a few minutes, fiddling with his lighter, a strange habit Zillah had though. He finally clicked it shut and turned to face her. "So, what exactly are your mutant powers?"

"Heightened senses, agility, strength, and an extremely fast healing factor."

"Wow, sounds like a mutant I know." John chuckled, "Got any adimantium in that skeleton of yours?"

Now it was Zillah's turn to chuckle. "Who do you think I am? The Wolverine? N, but now that you mention it, my skeleton isn't made of bone. My real power is in my ability to create pure diamond. Something about my spinal chord, when I was younger, the diamond started growing in just some of the vertebrae, but over time its replaced all of my bones completely."

Pyro had stopped playing with the lighter and was just staring at Zillah, mouth slightly agape. "How, how did you know about Wolverine?"

She blinked, "Oh, well, its kind of complicated. You know him, you know Wolverine?"

"He was one of the teachers, er, well, supervisors at a school mutants I..........used to go to."

Zillah nodded. "You went to Charles Xavier's's school for the gifted."

"Yes. You know a lot don't you." He had started to play with his lighter again.

"Let's just say I have, friends, who's job it is to know things. Enough about me, what is your power? Something to do with fire I assume, Mr. Pyro?" Zillah nodded towards the lighter in his hand.

John smiled at her, flicking open his lighter and igniting it. Waving his hand over the flame, he pulled it into his palm and molded it into the shape of single flower. "Manipulation of the flame."

Zillah put her hand close to his, feeling the heat of the still living flame dance under his total control. It was still burring, hot and alive.

"Neat. So how just how big were the flowers you hurled at the prison." Zillah pulled her hand back and leaned back in her seat. 

"Huh? Oh." John laughed. "Believe me, the flowers I've learned to hurl at prisons can get pretty big. Oh, and call me John. John Allerdyce."

"Nice to meet you John." Zillah put her hand up to his, pressing her index and fore finger near his palm, where the fire was still burring. Using her mutant powers, Zillah formed a small diamond in the shape of a flame in the palm of his hand. 

John let his flame die away, his gaze glued to the forming diamond in his hand. This reminded him of Bobby, his former best friend, and how he would make figurines out of ice back at the school. The diamond formed quickly, tiny crystals building on one another. John didn't want to think about that right now. Right now there was this girl sitting with him, giving him a strange feeling deep inside. He couldn't explain it.

Finishing up the diamond figurine, Zillah pulled her hand back and leaned back against the seat of the chopper. Turning her attention towards the front of the vehicle, where the conversation had died down. "So, what exactly do you guys go about doing." This question was directed towards Magneto.

He kept looking straight ahead, "Let's just say, that, we look out for the well being, and, benefits of mutants, when humans turn inconsiderate towards us."

"And let me guess, you needed another soldier to fight for your cause.?"

This made Magneto turn around in his seat. "You could say that, but quite frankly my dear, it is not only your powers I was interested in. I would like to talk to your brother if you don't mind."

John frowned in confusion. What was this about. 

Zillah's expression turned serious. "I can't imagine how you've come to hear of him the first place, but, if you and your methods are good enough to discover who my brother is, then I'm sure your deserving of at least an audience with him, and that is all I can do for you. Think of it as a token of gratitude, for getting me out of that shit hole back there."

Magneto nodded. "Fair enough."

Now John was really confused. So this really wasn't about her in the first place. Who and what was Magneto talking about?

No other words were exchanged during the ride back to the mansion. Everyone seemed to sense that the conversation would continue on in good time, which there would be plenty of in the future. 

  
  
  
  


"So why exactly would Magneto want with this girl?" Wolverine frowned as he looked at a few photos of Zillah. Flipping though her file, he raised an eyebrow. "Wow, I like her mutations." 

"Indeed Logan, though I have a slight inclination that there is something more to this then meets the eye. Though she posses incredible mutant abilities, it just doesn't seem logical why Magneto would risk such bad publicity for just one mutant." Professor Xavier gazed out the newly replaced windows of his mansion. Around him were his X Men, his children. 

"Zillah Rathen. Responsible for the death of 8 humans. Sounds like an interesting little girl." Ororo picked up the character profile and the table. 

"Rathen. Where have I heard that name before, where." Not breaking his gaze, the professor narrowed his eyes. He backed away from the window and turned to Scott who was leaning in the corner of the room. Though the immediate pain dealing with the loss of Jean was over, it was apparent that everyone, especially Scott and Logan, were still in grieving over the loss. "Scott, would you please look up Miss Rathen. Look for anything connected to her. There is something about her, something connected to the name Rathen, I just cant remember what it was."

"Yes professor." Scott turned and left the room, headed for the underground center.

Logan turned towards the professor, "Do you think she was involved in the Weapon Project with Striker? Her mutations would certainly be useful to him."

"I don't think so Logan, I've heard of her name before, but it was different somehow. Miss Rathen, who are you." Professor Xavier bearly whispered the last question, as if hoping someone in the cosmos would answer him. 

  
  
  
  


Zillah let her eyes slowly close. Damn this leather was excellent. She could really get used to this, although, she was restless right now. Standing up, she headed towards the back of the mansion, though Turning hallways and countless doorways. If she had remembered correctly, Magneto had said there was a training facility located towards the back of the property. Sure enough, as she continued back towards the end of the house, a deep rumbling could be heard, shaking the floorboards beneath her feet. Her acute hearing picked up voices, what sounded like John and Magneto?

"Not bad Mr. Allerdyce. You've greatly improved since your graduation from the silly school." 

Peaking out around an open door, Zillah saw John standing there, with his back towards her. There was burring rubble and what looked like pieces of large shrapnel littering the ground. Magneto was standing a few feet from him. 

"Yeah, the Professor didn't believe in showing off your powers."

"Ah good old, Charles. Always the conservative one." Magneto eyed John with amusement. He suddenly caught sight of Zillah and beckoned her to come to him. "Good timing Ms. Rathen, if you would be so kind to go though a demonstration of your powers?"

Zillah smiled sheepishly. She walked forward and came to stand beside John, who looked over and gave her a small grin. "Against John?" She let her eyes roam up and down his body. There was no way Magneto would want her to fight him. No way she'd be able to beat him in long range fight, and just he same, she'd decimate him in a pure melee fight. 

"Why not? Don't think I can handle a little girl?" John's grind widened. He had to admit, he liked her, although he didn't really know her. 

Zillah raised an eyebrow in mock arrogance. "I'd toss you into next week Friday little boy."

John ran a hand though his hair and laughed She had a sense of humor, nice. 

Magneto observed the interaction between the two of them, defiantly something there, but there were more important matters at hand. He still wanted to arrange a meeting with Zillah's brother, and the fabled band of mutants he lead. Never the less, Magneto still wanted to see the extend of this girls fighting ability. "No not against Mr. Allerdyce. That would prove ineffective. You say your more of a melee fighter?" 

Zillah simply nodded at Magneto. 

"Then im sure Mystique would prove more then a challenge for you."

Zillah didn't need to turn around, her hearing picked up the already quit foot steeps of the women behind her. She also head the scraping of boots on the concrete. John was moving away from her, and so was Magneto. So they were going to test her out right here, right now. Taking in a breathe Zillah sighed. Here we go, she thought to herself. 

"Ow." Damn did Mystique hit hard. Zillah rolled on the ground rubbing the back of her head. She knew that Mystique was going to hit her, but she had not clue that it was going to be this tough. As the pain quickly subsided, she sat up and shook her head, clearing her senses. It seemed as though she'd have to put more effort into this fight then first planed. 

Mystique was expressionless, she tilted her head to the left and gazed at Zillah. Was the girl really this easy to beat? With all of her supposed training, even Pyro was a better hand to hand fighter then this girl. Mystique found herself surprisingly disappointed. She was hoping that she would finally have someone on her level to spar with. Apparently she was she was wrong.

"Ok, here we go again." Zillah pulled her feet together and stood up straight. If Ms. Blue wanted to play hand, she could play hard too. 

With almost no warning, Mystique somersaulted twice towards Zillah, crouching at the last seconds to kick Zillah's legs out from under her but this time, Zillah was ready for her. As Mystique swept her foot across the ground, Zillah pushed her own weight forward, grabbing onto Mystique's shoulders, flipping over her. Reacting, Mystique slid both her legs backwards, rolling at the same time, entangling her foot with Zillah's and kicked out, sending Zillah to the ground. Recovering at the last second, Zillah was able to meet Mystique face to face as she too flipped to her own feet. Mystique was a good 10 inches taller then Zillah but that didn't matter. They traded blows at an equal pace, both of them refusing to give in. 

John watched the show of both acrobatics and aerobatics in aw. Although it seemed that Mystique was starting to gain ground, Zillah showed no sign of letting up herself. His eyes didn't leave Zillah the entire time. He was mesmerized by her. Grace, agility, style, they all seemed to accentuate her beauty. That and the fact that she was going toe to toe with Mystique and not getting the crap kicked out of her was impressive. 

Blocking a quick session of blows from Zillah, Mystique found an opening and took it. With a quick blow under her chin to stun her, Mystique followed that up with a lighting quick roundhouse which sent Zillah flying backwards. Taking no attempt to lighten up, Mystique front quickly flipped to gain momentum, and launched herself in the air, aiming to bring her right foot down in the middle of Zillah's chest. Rolling to the side at the last minute, Zillah kicked out hard with one foot, throwing Mystique off balance on her landing. This was all she needed. As Mystique tried to front flip off the ground, Zillah caught a hold of her foot and yanked, pulling her underneath her. She pinned Mystique under her and pressed her hand to her throat, quickly, Zillah formed a rather sharp knife out of diamond and applied pressure to Mystiques neck 

"Give?"

Mystique smiled and morphed into the form of Zillah. "I Don't think so sweetie."

Zillah was caught off guard, she lost her concentration for a moment, allowing for Mystique to bring up on of her legs, knocking Zillah off. 

"Enough." 

Zillah had forgotten that they were being observed. "Not many have been able to keep up with Mystique. Quite a nice display Ms. Rathen." 

"Thanks, I guess." Zillah let the diamond knife dissipate in her hand. 

"Well then, we have some business to attend to. Mr. Allerdyce, would you be so kind as to show our newest member around?"

John stepped forward and glanced at Zillah. "Yeah."

Both Magneto and Mystique were already on their way back into the mansion. Magneto was almost though the doorway when he stooped. "Oh and Ms. Rathen, I would like to have a word about your bother with you later tonight."

Zillah nodded, unsure of whether that was a honest question or a subduable demand. It didn't matter, Magneto didn't stick around long enough to wait for an answer. Turning back to her male companion, she cracked her knuckles. "So, where do I board up for the night Johnny?"

"Johnny?" John flipped his lighter open and close in his hand. 

Zillah smiled innocently, batting her eyelashes up at him. 

John eyed her. "My bed is always open...."

Zillah chuckled. "Don't bite off more then you can chew Johnny...."

  
  
  
  


"Got it." Scott hit a few keys on the keyboard, bringing up a screen displaying a character file. The profile showed the picture of a expressionless, young man with dark glasses. He had milky white skin, spiky silver. "An albino, is this him?"

Professor Xavier looked at the file. "Yes, Ghost Rathen, but where is the rest of the information?"

Scott typed in a few more commands, but all that came up were blank files, and deleted entries. "Is this all there is ? There's no date of birth, no description of mutation, no resident address." 

"No, there seems to have been more at one point. Someone went though a lot of trouble to wipe this many files out." The professor narrowed his eyes. Suddenly he nodded. "So Eric, your after the Legion aren't you. You really believe it exists old friend?"

The clicking of heels against the floor caught Scott's attention. Ororo Montgomery walked into the information center, and stood between the Professor and Scott. "Is this what you were looking for Professor?"

Xavier tapped his index finger against his chair. "Yes and no. Tell me, have either of you two ever heard about the mutant Legion?"

Both Scott and Ororo shook their heads.

"I have head about de Legion, Not to intrude on de contestation."

All heads turned towards the entrance. There stood a blue skinned mutant, his angular tail lashing behind him. 

The Professor gestured to an open chair. "Please Kurt, continue."

Nodding, Kurt Wagner padded across to the control room, perching more then sitting in the chair. "Thank you Professor." He addressed the three mutants and started his story slowly. "After I vas able to escape from de circus, I met a mutant who had mentioned something about de Legion. Dazzler, I think her name was. She had asked if I had ever heard of dis Legion, as she knew someone in it. She had said dat it was a, society, for some of de most powerful mutants from all ova de globe."

"Did she tell you how to find this, Legion?" Scott arms were folded across his chest. 

"Nein." Kurt shook his head. "I asked de same question, but, she had said dat one could never find de Legion, dat they could only find you."

Ororo gestured to the computer screen. "I'm guessing that this Ghost character, has some type of connection to this fabled Legion Professor?"

The Professor seemed to be gazing into the future, or was it the past. "I've been told that the leader of the Legion, was no one mortal, but that the Legion was lead by a ghost."

"Why haven't I been able to pull any information about this legendary Legion?" Scott was back at the computer, inputting one command after another. 

"I do not know the answer to that question yet Scott, but I will use Cerebro to try and find out more."

"And what of that girl Magneto broke out of prison?" Scott was now pulling up a different character file. This time it was about someone else. A petite Asian girl was displayed on the screen. 

Xavier studied the character file. "She is his sister, and I believe, as Magneto does, one of the only ways of finding the Legion."

  
  
  
  


"Augh!" Bobby Drake went flying a good three feet though the air, landing hard on the concrete basketball court. 

"Ah, my apologies Bobby. Sometimes I forget my own strength." Peter Raspitune winced as he watched Bobby scrape himself off the ground.

Bobby coughed once. "No problem man."

Peter walked over, and with just one hand, hoisted Bobby up. He passed Bobby the basketball. "Here, your turn to check in."

Bobby smiled and shot a quick look over his back to Rouge. She waved back at him, and blew him a kiss, then went back to talking to Kitty Pride. Bobby was just about to check the ball in, when something came flying over the basketball hoop.

"Fight! Someone get an adult! Fight!" Everyone turned and looked at the kid who had just cleared the 12 foot basketball hoop.

Kitty stood up. "Michael! What is going on?"

The boy stopped jumping. "No one knows who started it, but Jubilee and Marrow are duking it out in the court yard!"

Rouge joined Kitty in standing. "Kitty, quick, go get the professor."

Kitty nodded and was already on her way. She phased through the basketball fence and ran right though the walls of the mansion. 

Bobby dropped the basket ball and started running. "Come on you guys, we've got to try and do something." Rouge and Peter joined him as they raced to the courtyard, there they found the rest of the students watching, all at a loss of what to do. Although they the fight, the students had retreated a good quarter mile away from the two girls in the middle. One of them had short orange hair, and what seemed to be bones protruding out of her upper body. She screamed as a barrage of lights combusted in her face, blasting her body back a few feet. 

On the other side of the clearing, stood another girl. This one had spiky short black hair, and a large yellow trench coat. She was yelling something. "You still think your so great? Who's hot shit now Marrow!?"

The girl on the ground pulled herself to her knees and grabbed bones that jutted out of either sholders. In obvious pain, she pulled until twin boomerang shaped bones slid out. "Shut up bitch!" Marrow dashed forward and hurled both bones towards Jubilee. 

Pressing her arms forward, a large explosion of light hit the projectiles, but only succeeded in shattering one. A look of horror swept across Jubilee's face. This, was, going, to suck. The bone s pun forward, heading right to where Jubilee was standing, and missed. It sailed through a cloud of blue smoke, implanting itself into a tree a few yards back. 

The students turned to the sound of Nightcrawler reappearing behind them. In his arms was Jubilee, unscathed. "Enough of this you two, someone is going to get severely hurt."

Marrow frowned. "I thought that was the point."

"Marrow, Jubilee, you two must learn not to abuse your powers, and to help you grasp the severity of the concept, I would like the each of you to write a 10 page report on the Nazi party during World War 2, due tomorrow morning." Bodies parted to let the Professor though. "And while your at it, I suggest that the two of you, as well as everyone else, consider the sever consequences of another occurrence like this again."

Marrow and Jubilee nodded. muttering apologies to one another, as well as to the Professor.

"Alright then, everyone please go to class."

Bobby slipped his arm around Rouge, as the joined the rest of their classmates going back into the mansion.

  
  
  
  


Zillah took a sip of her water. She was doing something that she'd never thought she would do. She was telling outsiders about the Legion. Her brother's Legion. Although she was sworn to secrecy, she owed theses people her freedom. One would think her brother would get mad at her, but he never did. Regardless, on their own, they would be considered strong mutants, each displaying amazing control over their powers, maybe Ghost would indite them into the Legion. Who was to say.

"So about the Legion?" Magneto was sitting across from her. He was dressed in simple but neat black slacks, and a wool sweater. Mystique, au natural, and John, in a black slacks and a long sleeve, fitted shirt were also sitting around her. 

Pausing for a second, Zillah looked at the floor. "If I tell you this, you know your lives are now a compromise."

John raised his eyebrow. 

"Yes, that is something I assume Ms. Rathen. And in that case, why don't you tell me all about this Legion?" Magneto sipped something out of a mug. 

Zillah nodded. "So do you know anything specific about the legion, or am I going to have to start from the beginning?"

"I don't know much, only that your brother is the leader of the group."

"From the beginning then. It started around the mid 1980s, when I was born. My brother was already around 10 at the time, and that was when we were abandoned to the streets of London. My brother took care of me, as well as a few other orphaned mutants then, until our group was hit by a government raid. My brother and I were the only survivors." Zillah hated reminiscing. "Technically, those killed in the raid were the original Legion, but with all of those mutants terminated, my brother had to start from fresh. He started to recruit the strongest mutants he could find from all areas of the country. Even at the young age of 10, Ghost could do it. He did do it."

Magneto leaned forward in his chair. "How could such a child, unite so many like that?"

"It's his mutation. Ghost can interface with any computer system he comes into contact with, becoming alive within the system, so to speak. Once he learned to control his powers, information became free to him. Names, dates, places, codes, anything he wanted to know, he could."

Magneto smiled and nodded slowly. "And with that information, came the power and the respect."

"Yes." Zillah took another sip of her water.

"How many are there? In the legion that is." John too was had leaned forward in his chair.

She shrugged. "One, two hundred? I'm not that sure. It's been a while since I've checked in."

"What is the Legion's purpose then?" Mystique's crystal voice was quit. 

"Information and unity basically. Loyalty is held as the number one ruling in the Legion."

Magneto was staring at Zillah. "Intriguing, how come no one has heard of this organization before?"

"We never discuss such things with non-members. Information leaks are dealt with as soon as they let anything slip. My brother makes sure that whenever any information regarding the Legion gets out, it is immediately wiped."

Something occurred to John. "What about mutants who want to join?"

Zillah smiled at him. "Ghost hand picks each member of the Legion. You don't find out about it unless he wants you to."

"So my dear, when do we get to meet this brother of yours?" Magneto placed his mug onto the glass coffee table at his feet.

All pairs of eyes turned to fall upon Zillah. She looked at each f them, her gaze lingering on John's face for a brief moment, then she looked Magneto in the eyes. "As soon as we get to Ireland."

  
  
  
  


Kurt padded though the kitchen quietly, as not to wake up any of the sleeping children. He hated the nights where he could not sleep. He came to the kitchen and stopped to look at the drawings on the refrigerator door. One of the drawings caught his attention. It was a simple one, stick figures done in crayon. It was a scene of a man and a women, and a child between them, holding their hands in the epitome of a happy family. Kurt traced the figure of the mother and the child, his heart twisted as he gazed at the picture.

"Do you like it? Sebastian, drew it for the Professor last week." Ororo steeped into the kitchen. "Can't sleep?"

Kurt blinked slowly and looked back at the picture. "I never knew mine mother. I vas raise by a troop of gypsies. Dey had said dat dey found me floating down de river in a blanket." He retraced the figure of the women. Dey had also said dat mine mother had probably abandoned me."

Ororo studied Kurt's expression. "Would you ever want to find her?"

Kurt's eyes fell to the floor. "Yes I would. She would be de only family I have."

"Even knowing that she abandoned you?"

"Yes, ven she left me, she must have had a good reason for her action. I do not harbor any, ill-feelings towards her. She is mine mother, I could never hate her."

Ororo nodded. "I envy you Kurt."

He looked up at the women with ebony colored hair. "Vhy is dat?"

She nodded again. "Yes, even after everything, your heart is still so open and forgiving."

Kurt smiled. "Von day, you too will learn to let go of de hate and de resentment, and find dat all dat remains is something pure."

"Perhaps I one day will."

Kurt nodded. "Goodnight Ms. Ororo."

"Goodnight Kurt."

With a muffled blamph, Kurt teleported away. Leaving Ororo to her own thoughts.

  
  
  


John had to admit, through his 6 months working with Magneto, he learned that the man wasted no time. At this very moment, just an hour after the talk about the Legion had come to an end, they were already packing their bags. Their flight to New York would leave in just under three hours. From there, they would catch an international flight straight to Ireland. Zillah would lead them from there. Zillah, John thought to himself. Although he didn't really know her personally, he was already quite hooked. She was intelligent, beautiful, funny, and seemed to be able to hold her own quite well. In the past, at the school, there wasn't really anyone that John had felt close to, besides Bobby. Not like any of the girls hadn't taken interest in him before though. John knew he was good looking, but no girl ever seemed to be able to hold his attention for very long. Zillah was different. She was special in a way. John wondered if she felt the same about him. 

Stuffing the last of his clothes into the duffle bag, he reached into his pocket, making sure that his trusty lighter was there. Its smooth metal surface brought comfort at its mere weight in his hand. Pulling it out of his pocket, he licked it open, giving the flint a quick pull. The small flame danced to life. John studied the flame for a second before he waved a hand over it, pulling it the flickering tongue into the palm of his hand. Feeling the slight tingle in his hand, he manipulated it into the shape of a heart, gazing at the way it pulsated. "If I gave this to you..................no way. What am I thinking." He closed his hand around the flame, smoothing it. A thin tendril of smoke slipped out of corners of his closed hand. "Come on Pyro, after 18 years, do you dare go soft now. She doesn't want you anyway." He clicked the lighter closed and sighed. Grabbing his bags, he headed out the door and to the waiting car.

Zillah packed the few things that she had, a change of clothes from Mystique, some cash from Magneto, into a small bag she had pinched off of John. Once she was able to reach her brother, he would see that she got some new clothes, and basically anything else she needed. Although they didn't see much of one another, Ghost and Zillah were close. She was his little sister after all. His most trusted friend and ally. Zillah missed him. When her cell was first torn open, she had thought it to be someone from the Legion, but it didn't bother her that it wasn't She knew Ghost wouldn't have allowed for her to remain in prison for long. She found herself thinking back to the Legion. She was always the youngest one, especially when she was an active member, but that was so long ago. What had it been? 2 years? Zillah narrowed her colorless eyes, 2 years since she had parted from the Legion, 2 years since a certain mutant had turned his back on her and the Legion, walking right out of both. Still, after 2 years, she was still hurting over him. Things never were settled between them. Zillah stomped her foot in frustration. Why was she thinking of this, of him? She had hurt too much over him already, no more. Instead, Zillah found herself thinking about the situation at hand. Bringing in outsiders. Magneto, Mystique, and Pyro. Zillah smiled as she thought about John. He was cute one. And funny, and sweet. He would never be interested in me, Zillah thought to herself, besides, this was business. She glanced out the window, John was loading bags into the luxury car parked in the circular drive way. Strictly business.

  


The morning light filtered down through Logan's bedroom curtains, waking him from his deep sleep. He gave a muffled grunt and rolled over, burrowing his head under the nearest pillow. Just as he began fall back asleep, a blaring noise in his ear woke him with a start. Giving a feral roar, he unsheathed his claws and brought them down into the body of the defenseless alarm clock that rested on his small bedside table. Looking at the remains of the small clock, Logan moaned and let his claws retract back into his wrist. He flopped back into bed, and was just getting comfortable, when there was a knocking on his door.

"Logan? You awake in there?" It was Scott, good ol' one-eye.

"No, I'm not." He didn't even bother to move.

"Good, get ready then. The Professor was able to track down that Rathen girl. At the moment, they're on a flight from Washington to New York. Their plane will touch down in about an hour, were the welcoming committee." 

Logan muttered something along the lines of an agreement as Scott continued down the hallway. He would get up shortly, right now, the bed was holding him prisoner. Logan rolled over, scratched his head, and promptly fell asleep.

  
  
  


"Hey, let me get that for you." John reached down and grabbed Zillah's small bag. 

"Thanks." Zillah smiled.

John smiled back. "No problem."

They stood there, just looking at each other. Zillah blushed and turned away. "Maybe we should get going, Magneto and Mystique are probably already waiting at the next gate."

"Yeah." John hoisted the bags over his shoulder, and started down the crowded hallway leading from plane exit to the international flights. They didn't really talk as they walked, both too shy to initiate a conversation. John began to think again. He wanted to talk to her. On the flight to New York, they had spend the entire time just talking, getting to know one another quite well. He found that, although she held a strong personality, she was still soft in some ways, giving way to a more feminine feeling about her. John liked her, a lot, over the last couple of days withe her, he knew at least that much. Although he had the slight idea that she felt the same way, there was only one real way to find out. He looked over at Zillah. She turned and looked right back at him. John bit his lower lip, better now then never.

Zillah kept glancing over to look at him. "John? Something bothering you?"

"I, no nothing." He forced a smile, and faced forward, but out of the corner of his eye, he could have sworn he saw Zillah's face fall. Was it disappointment?

He stopped walking and turned towards her. Zillah stopped in her tracks and turned to face him. "Zillah, look. I, I just wanted to let you know that I have........" John shifted his weight from one foot to another. What was he doing? And why now of all times?

Zillah's expression was unreadable. "You have what?"

John looked into her eyes. "That I have fe-oh, shit." 

Zillah followed John's gaze to the people behind her. Standing around 50 feet behind them were two men. One wore what looked like a strange, ruby colored visor around his eyes, while the other many had a more feral guise to him. Both men were dressed in fitted, black leather outfits. Zillah raised an eyebrow.

John took a steep backwards. "We have to go." His eyes never left his two ex-teachers. 

"Friends of yours?"

John took another steep backwards, and motioned for Zillah to follow his lead. "Not quite. They're two, instructors, from that school I used to go to."

Zillah started to follow John as they started to backtrack though the terminal. She glanced back at the men. "That man. That's Wolverine, isn't it?"

John's pace started to increase as he threw a look over his shoulder. He and Zillah let the crowd come in-between them and the 2 X-men. "Yeah, come one. Maybe they didn't see us."

Nodding, Zillah was at John's side as they increased the distance between them and the men. 

"John? John!" Cyclops was already making his way towards them. "John, Zillah, we just want to talk to you."

Zillah stopped and looked back. "John, maybe we should just talk to them."

John stood next to Zillah. Both Cyclops and Wolverine were now gaining ground on them. He looked at Zillah pleadingly. "Zillah I cannot go back with them." They were getting closer. John panicked. "Oh shit. Um, run." He dropped the bags, and took a hold of Zillah's slim wrist, pulling her in the opposite direction of X-Men. Behind him, John heard Wolverine curse, and start to give chase 

Racing though the hallways, Zillah followed where John took her. Looking back, she saw that the two men were right behind them. "John, we've got to loose them."

"Here." John spotted the exit to the garage complex. He lead Zillah down a single flight of stairs and came out though a door into the middle of a large concrete parking area. "We can hide here." 

Their feet pounded the cement as they raced behind row after row of parked cars. Ducking behind a large SUV, John noticed that he was still holding onto Zillah wrist. He looked at her and decided to take a chance. He slide his hand from around her wrist to intertwine their fingers. As he did this, John heard two pairs of feet racing into the same area as their hiding spot. He looked to Zillah, and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She looked at him, and for a brief moment, he forgot how to breathe. When she gave him a soft smile, and squeezed back, John let out a soft sigh. The foot steeps came to a halt in front of the SUV, and John found himself reaching for his lighter. What was he thinking? Fight his former mentors? He had to. He couldn't go back, he couldn't face any of them after what he had done. He stole a glance at Zillah, she was frozen in place, eyes glued to the SUV. He knew they were here for her, and he couldn't let them take her away. He squeezed her hand again, and brought out his lighter. If this is how it was going to happen, so be it.

  
  
  


Creamy white skin flew over a keyboard. The hand was delicate yet strong, establishing a connection to internet. There, the airlines had an online flight chart, updated every 10 minutes for the convenience of their customers. Once the connection had been made, the ivory hand pressed itself against the computer screen, as the figure it belonged to stood very still. He was dressed extremely sharp, white silk shirt, immaculate white pants, and a long white leather trench coat. His face, expressionless, eyes concealed under a pair of some European designer sunglasses, remained steady as he withdrew his hand from the computer screen. The man turned away from the large panel of computers, and ran a hand though his crisp silver hair. "Zillah...." He slowly walked down the black marble hallway, thinking to himself. She hadn't made her connecting flight. None of them had. Undoubtably they had run into some kind of trouble in the airport. It had surprised him when the mutant know as Magneto had gotten her out of prison. He had already sent for her to be freed, and it was by a mere few hours that Magneto had gotten her before he had. The man dressed in white turned down a spiral staircase, and walked down a long hallway, doors passing him on either side. He would have to be patient, plan his actions carefully. He did not want to risk endangering Zillah in any way. As he continue through the last door, the man in white came to what appeared to be another computer control room. For now, he would just do more research on the people who his sister were with. Ghost proceeded to sit down at the counsel, placing his hand against the screen again. He closed his eyes. He would make sure that his little sister would find her way home. Soon.

  
  
  
  


"John?" Zillah leaned close as she watched him pull his lighter from his pants. 

He motioned for her to remain quit. Both Cyclops and Wolverine were right on the other side of the SUV. What was he going to do? If he started to use his powers here, there would be no way that they would make it to Ireland any time soon. He leaned over to whisper in Zillah's ear. "You stay here. I'm sure its you they're after, but we need to get to Ireland. I'm going to talk to them."

As he stood to go and talk, Zillah held his hand tight for a brief moment. A silent way of saying she understood how he felt about her, and that she felt the same.

John walked out from around the SUV, and faced two of the people he had hoped he would never have had to deal with ever again. 

"John....." Cyclops stared at him. 

"You're here to take her back to the school aren't you." He griped his lighter tightly. 

Wolverine stepped forward. "Okay, play time is definitely over. You've had your fun, running around with Magneto for a while.

Cyclopes glanced at Wolverine. "Logan, please. Look, the Professor just wants to talk to her, and you. We're not here to take you back John, we can't force you to come with."

John swallowed thickly. He had no idea how to respond. He couldn't go back there, everyone was going to hate him. Especially Bobby and Rouge. 

"The Professor just wants to talk. You'd be free to defect back to the Brotherhood if you want." Wolverine shrugged.

Cyclopes began to walk towards John. "John, you know the Professor, he wouldn't do anything to hurt either of you."

Wolverine looked around. "Where is she anyway." He started to walk behind the SUV.

"Leave her alone." John reached out to grab Wolverine's arm.

On reflex, as soon as John's hand grabbed Wolverine's, he spun around, grabbing John from behind, pinning his arms behind his back. "John, were not going to hurt either of you."

John struggled in the arm lock. "What the hell, let me go!"

"Let him go." Wolverine's head snapped to look in the direction of Cyclops. Zillah had gotten him into the same hold that Wolverine had on John, with the one exception of the diamond knife that was being pressed to his throat.

Wolverine paused for a brief second, then released his hold on John. John rubbed his wrists and moved to stand besides Zillah. 

As soon as John was free, Zillah released her grip on Cyclops, and allowed the knife to dissipate into thin air. Cyclops turned. "Your Zillah Rathen aren't you?"

She nodded. 

"The Professor would like to talk to you Zillah, but both you and Pyro won't be forced to."

John shoot a dirty look at Wolverine. "Sorry, but we've got a flight to catch."

Wolverine narrowed his eyes at the arrogant teen, but that was all he could do. He watched as the two turned and started back towards the main area of the airport. No one was expecting what happened next. A single gunshot rang though the parking garage, its echo bouncing off the walls, chilling Wolverine to the bone. 

Zillah caught John's body as it slumped over. She guided it down, and cradled him in her arms, looking to the end of the garage where the short had been fired. 

There were a group of policemen there. All had their guns drawn, the one furthest in the front was barking at one of the others. "I said hold your god damn fire! They're just kids for crying out loud!"

One of the officers spoke up. "But sir! Both of them are considered class 5 mutants!"

Some one must have recognized her in the airport. Zillah looked down at John. Blood was beginning to well up through his shirt. "John?"

"Shit." He winced as he struggled to breathe. "Zillah, get out of here."

She buried her head into his shoulder. "No, don't worry, I'll stay with you." Behind her, she heard the two X-Men start to run towards the officers. 

Beams of ruby energy shoot across the garage as the men hit by them flew backwards and slammed into the wall. Wolverine, roared and leaped forward as his claws were unsheathed. 

The officers started to panic as they opened fire at the two attacking mutants. Cyclops threw himself behind a jeep, but Wolverine charged right towards them. Taking a bullet in his leg hardly slowed him, as he was slashed the guns out of the hands of the remaining two officers. He grabbed one by the head and slammed him into the hood of a near by car, knocking him unconscious. Wolverine let his gaze settle on the remaining officer, who was shaking in fear. The same man that had shoot Pyro. He was just about to punch him in the face when the officer twitched twice, and his eyes widened in shock. His gun dropped from his hand, and he fell to his knees. Wolverine backed up at and saw that implanted in the officers chest were what looked like duel crystal daggers. He looked back at the girl that cradled Pyro's body in her arms. She just stared at him. "He shoot John."

Cyclops had emerged him his cover went to stand next Zillah. "The school isn't that far from here, and we have a medical facility there."

John grimaced as he swallowed the blood that had begun to rise in his throat. "I can't go back." His body spasmed and he gripped Zillah's arm. 

Zillah ran her hand through John's hair. "You don't have a choice."

John looked up at Zillah. She was right, he didn't have a choice, either he go back to the school or he bleeds to death right here. "Zillah...." He could feel the blood running down his side. He let his head fall against her middle, letting the darkness take up around him.

Zillah leaned forward and softly kissed John's forehead. She looked up the man with the visor. "Please, save him."

Cyclops nodded as Wolverine took John's limp body from Zillah. Together, the three of them walked to the Blackbird which was parked at the top of the building, its cloaking program disguising it as nothing more then an spacious roof.

  
  
  
  


An elderly man gazed out of the large glass walls of the airport. He watched as three figures with a fourth draped over one fo their shoulders emerged on the roof of the garage. Suddenly they all seemed to just vanish into thin air. Magneto could feel the ambiance presence of the Blackbird there, the visual illusion of the cloaking device not fooling his mutant powers. He could sense the huge body of metal, but he would let them go for now. It was just a mere setback to his plans. 

A young girl dressed in a pink, floral dress skipped up and stood next to Magneto. If anyone had bothered to listen in on their conversation, they would have had to take a double take on the little girl. "So, how do we proceed from this point?" She hugged her teddy bear closer to her chest.

"We wait, and we watch. We'll make our move when the time is right."

"And what is Xavier is able to persuade them over to his side?" The little girl blinked her brite yellow eyes. 

Magneto looked up towards the sky, his eyes following something that only he could sense. "Then we will have to come up with a new strategy."

  
  


Peter's heavy footsteps thundered down the hallway. He had to find Bobby. Bobby needed to know, even though the rumors had only started to fly around the campus. Peter hurriedly made his way to the left wing common room, where Bobby and Marie usually were. He turned the last corner and burst though the heaven double doors. There, on the couch, bobby and Marie were curled up together, their eyes glued to the large screen tv screen. Kitty was sprawled out on the floor. The three of them turned their attention from the tv to Peter. 

"Hey big guy, where's the fire at?" Bobby lighthearted greeting made Marie and Kitty smile. 

"Funny you should say that Bobby. Have you heard the news?"

Marie shook her head and Bobby's eyebrows drew into a look of question.

"John is back."

Bobby nearly jumped out of his seat. "John! Where is he?"

Peter watched Marie get off the couch and make her way towards the door. "He's in the infirmary. They say he's been shot."

"Christ. I have to go see him." Bobby leaped over the couch and headed straight for the door. 

Peter stopped him before he could leave the room. "You can't. They've sanctioned the entire basement off-limits right now."

"When did he get here?" Marie had her arm on Bobby's back.

"Just 10 minutes ago. They had just arrived off the jet."

"Is he ok? What the hell happened to him? Is Magneto here too?" Bobby was beginning to get flustered. 

"I don't know."

Bobby paused for a second, then he quickly pushed past Peter and out into the hallway. "I need to see him." He took off down the mansion. 

"Bobby! Wait!" Marie chased after him. 

Peter watched their bodies disappeared around a corner. He turned to see Kitty shrug and flop down on the couch, turning her attention back to the movie. Peter sighed and went back to see what more he could find out.

  
  
  
  


Bobby could hear Marie running behind him, calling him but he didn't slow down. He made his way to the secrete elevator, and nearly punched the control panel. The door slid open, and he jumped in. Marie slipped in just as the doors closed.

"Bobby, you can't see him. They're probably working on him right now."

"I don't care. It's John."

Marie didn't reply. She knew that John had been Bobby's best friend, even before she had arrived at the school. When John had left with Magneto, everyone had been shocked, but no one had taken his leaving harder then John. He had felt so betrayed and angry, but over the passing months, Bobby had pushed those feelings deep inside of him.

As soon as the door slide open, Bobby started running again. Down the steal hallways of the underground section of the mansion. He wasn't alone though, Marie was right on his heels. Taking the nearest hallway, Bobby went into the first room to he heard noises from. As soon as he steeped into the room, he froze. There, on raised metal table, lay John. He was shirtless and unconscious, a small red hole hear his hip rose and fell with John's steady breathing. Bobby and Marie watched as Storm walked over to John's side, and injected something into his arm. 

"You two shouldn't be down here."

"Is he, alright?" Bobby voice faltered. John was so pale. "What happened to him?"

Storm looked at one of the monitors, then looked at a few others. "It's a complicate situation Bobby. Go back upstairs you two. John is going to be fine."

Glancing back at John once more, bobby turned and left the infirmary, Marie put her arm around his waist and the both made their way back towards the elevator. Bobby leaned against the wall as they waited for the door to open. "What the hell have you gotten yourself into this time John?"

  
  
  
  


John opened his eyes. Lord something hurt. He looked around and groaned . He knew where he was , the infirmary back the school. He couldn't believe he was back. He wondered if the students knew he was back. John looked towards the back of the room, his eyes falling on the little figure curled up on a single chair. Zillah was fast asleep. Although he felt like shirt that had been hit by a bus, he honestly didn't mind it that much. What had happened back at the airport had been worth what hand finally happened between Zillah and himself. He attempted to sit up and almost passed out. Ok, almost worth it, he thought. God, he was in pain, it was as if every muscle in his body was on fire. Looking down at himself he found that his shoes, socks and shirt were gone. A large bandage covered his abdomen. He winced again as he forced himself up, swinging his feet over the table and onto the floor. He slowly stood up, his body screamed in protest. Carefully, John slowly made his way over to Zillah's sleeping form. As he approached, she opened her eyes and yawned. 

"John, your awake." She stretched her legs out. She wore a simple pair of black short and a red tank top, courtesy of the Professor undoubtably. She stood up and put her arms around his upper body for support, but also taking advantage of the fact that he was shirtless.

"Too bad I feel like crap, and I have a feeling that I'm going to be feeling worse the better my wound gets." He looked around. He had only been to the infirmary once before. It was on the first underground level below the school. Above them, the students, his classmates, his former friends, were probably all talking about him at this very moment. He didn't care.

Zillah helped him into the chair she had been sitting in. "Yeah, I kinda figured that." During the plane ride from Washington, he had told her vaguely about how he defected from the school. Nothing to detailed though, it still got ho him, what had happened that day at Alkali Lake, when he had chosen a different path over his friends.

"The Professor wanted to talk to you when you woke up."

"Ughhh. Have you talked to him yet?"

Zillah put her hand on his solder. "Not about anything important. He seems like a very compassionate person John, you shouldn't have to worry too much."

"It still feels like I disappointed him, and that I betrayed all my friends." John found that the warmth of Zillah's hand on his bare skin radiated comfort though his entire body. He leaned his head against her side, as he gingerly touched his bandages. John wondered just how badly the wound was. He gently pressed the area of the wound and immediately regretted doing so as he breathe hitched in his throat. "Damn it, this bitch stings."

Zillah smiled. "You think that hurts? Try getting knocked off a 12 story building with a brick tot he head."

John cracked a smile though his pain. "Yeah, I bet that must have stung too huh?"

Zillah shrugged. "Yeah I guess, but I just woke up with a huge headache. It sucked more for the girl that had hit me with the brick." Her hand slide from his shoulder to his upper back. 

John exhaled deeply. "What happened to her?"

"When my brother found out what had happened, he scalped her."

John slowly nodded his head. "Remind me never to try and push you off a 12 story building."

"Can do." Zillah started to laugh.

John looked up at her and chuckled. As the laugher died down, they continued to face one another. The silence hung in the air was thick, neither of them wanting to break it. John slowly placed his hands on her sides, pulling her down slightly. Zillah let he hand slide back to his shoulder, placing her other on his neck. Pulling her towards him, John closed the distance between their faces. The kiss was soft and sweet, and surprisingly innocent Zillah found. She was the one that broke it, pulling back slightly. He looked at her with a slightly hurt expression. 

"Zillah..."

"John, I'm sorry. I can't."

John's chest suddenly seemed to coil tightly in on itself. "Zillah, please don't."

Zillah let a single tear slide down her cheek. All she could do was apologize. "John, I'm so sorry." She pulled away from his completely and walked out of the infirmary, without looking back.

  



	2. Act 2: Revalations in Revolutions

Notes: yes, finally got this done. Thank you for the feed back. 

Disclaimer: nope, don't own X men or any of the Marvel characters.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


The bush slid across the easel like silk Inspiration was flowing freely today, how fortunate. Rediping the brush into the pigment, she continued to paint, an elegant figure was starting to take shape. The women didn't stop as she heard foot steeps behind her, echoing on polished stone beneath her feet. The foot steeps grew closer. 

"Beautiful."

She paused. "I know."

"I didn't mean the painting."

She put the bush down and looked over her work. "I know." She casually flipped her hair to the side. It was glossy and dark, full of body as it settled down to her shoulders. She placed her hands on her hips, her dress skin tight, colored a pale green, the same color of her long nails. She tapped her heels on the floor. "I used too much blacks."

Ghost encircled her waist with his arms. "It's a dark scene."

She turned in his arms and ran the back of her hand down his jaw. Her features were strong European, making her look every bit the regal queen she was. Today though, her expression was one of a tragedy. She leaned her head against her husbands shoulder. "It is going to happen isn't it."

Ghost said nothing.

"Why can't you stop it."

"It doesn't matter, it is going to happen. Matters not what form or time it comes in."

She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breathe. "Where is she?"

He ran a hand though her silk locks. "We think she is in Westchester, at that school. She will be home by morning."

"Who will be going to get her?"

"I do not want to cause a scene. Just Blink and I will be going."

The women pulled back. "I will go also."

Ghost kissed her on the forehead. "Thank you my love." 

He released her and exited the room. Tonight he would have to ensure diplomacy was an outcome of the visit to the school. The future was too valuable not to consider it.

  
  
  
  
  
  


Stupid, stupid stupid. Zillah wanted to hit her head on a wall, though that would accomplish nothing. What had she gone and done? John was a good person, but........ That was just the problem, he was a good guy. A good guy she just broke the heart of. She narrowed her eyes. Yeah, well, everyone has to have a broken heart sooner or later. She wanted out of here. She wanted out of this damn school, she wanted out of her deal with Magneto she wanted to go home.

Zillah proceeded down the hallway and headed to the elevator. While she was here, the Professor had given her a room on the 5th story, the floor that was usually reserved for the adults here. She didn't want to go to her room though, she needed to get to a phone, quickly. Zillah knew that, as soon as the Professor learned that John had woken up, he would want to talk to all of them about what had happened. No thank you, she thought to herself. She had already told a few outsiders about the Legion, she didn't need to go and tell anyone else. Your doing what he did, her mind whispered to her. "Oh I am not, I'm getting out before he becomes too attached, before anyone gets hurt."

She had never been anywhere in the school besides the 5th floor and the underground levels before. There wasn't a phone in her room, and she had no idea where any were. She was going to have to find someone who did. 

When she reached entered the elevator, the hit the button for the ground level. There were guaranteed to be people there who knew where a phone was. Zillah cringed, she just hoped that no one would recognize her from the papers.

The elevator reached its destination, and as she stepped out, she promptly got run over by a group of students. 

"Crap, sorry! Totally didn't see you there!" A girl around Zillah's age offered her, her hand. Zillah accepted it and stood up. The girl had short orange hair and, bones jutting out of her back.

"It's ok, I'm fine."

"Cool. You're new aren't you?"

"Uh, well, actually...."

"My name's Marrow. And you are?"

Zillah blinked a few times. "Zillah." Boy this girl was up front. 

"Nice to meet you."

Zillah shook her hand. "By the way Marrow, do you know where the closest phone is?"

Marrow nodded. "Right down that hall and you take the second right, then the third left, go strait and it's the first door to your left."

Zillah realized she must have made an awful face because Marrow started to laugh. 

"Dude, don't worry. I'll show you."

She smiled. "Thanks."

The two girls began to walk. It was a good thing that this girl seemed to be quite talkative. "So what can you do?"

Zillah turned her head. "Pardon?"

Marrow shrugged. "You know, what kind of a mutation do you have? Like I can pull out these bones and they just grow back and what not. Not that much fun, but they sure make good bludgeons." She grinned.

"Ahhhh. Well, I have heighten strength, speed, senses and I can create diamonds."

"Sweet. Aw fuck." Marrow's sunny disposition turned stormy as she caught sight of a the people coming down the hallway.

"What's wrong?" Zillah looked. Walking down the hallway were two girls. One had on large yellow trench coat and wore brite pink sunglasses on her head, while the other girl had a streak of white that ran though her long mahogany hair. She also wore gloves for some reason.

"See that girl in the yellow? She's such a cunt, thinks that she's so smart."

The girls down he hall had stopped talking. The girl in the yellow was glairing at Marrow. Marrow glared right back.

Zillah bit her lower lip. "Um.."

All of a sudden, a boy came running out of the doorway right in front of Zillah and Marrow. He didn't even see them and headed right for the other two girls. 

"Bobby!" The girl with the white streak hugged him.

"Marie." He hugged her back.

"Any news about John?" Marie let go of Bobby.

"Yeah, they say he just woke up."

"That's great! I hope that we get to go talk to him....." Marie trailed off. That girl that was standing next to Marrow was staring at Bobby's back. Marie watched as the color drained from her face. Her mouth was slightly open.

Zillah stood frozen in her spot. Marrow was looking at her and so was that Marie girl. Bobby still had his back towards her but not for long. "..............Bobby Drake..............?"

Bobby's body went ridged. No way that was her. No god damn way. He turned around slowly and nearly died. There, standing in the halls of Charles Xavier's school for the gifted was Zillah Rathen. The ex-love of his life. "Zillah.."

Zillah's head began to hurt. No, why was this happening. She hated him so much, right? Her heart twisted in pain as she stared into Bobby's face, his icy blue eyes still that same intense color it had been years ago. He looked different now though, older, more mature. She stated to shake her head. The hurt and anguish was naked on her face. This was the boy, the boy that had broken her heart and turned his back on her brother. This was the boy she had lost herself too, the one she still hurt over, even now. Her eye's never left Bobby's. "Marrow, where is that phone?"

Marrow licked her lips. "Uh, down this hallway, then to the door on the left...."

"Zillah." Bobby started towards her. 

Zillah was so scared right then. There were so many emotions running though her head and her heart. She couldn't deal with them all. She backed up a few steeps and stared running back down the way she had come.

"Shit! Zillah wait!" Bobby took off after her, leaving Marie confused and hurt.

Zillah sniffled as she sped down the wooden hallway. So this is where Bobby went after he left the Legion. After he had left her. She turned down the maze of hallways and came to where the elevator she had gotten out of was, across of the main entrance to the school. She was just about to hit the control for the elevator when it opened, and John stepped out. He put a hand up to the wall to support himself. 

John turned his attention to the girl that came rushing down the hallway. It was Zillah. "Zillah! Please! We need to talk."

Zillah almost slammed herself into the wall trying to change direction. Her momentum combined, sent her colliding into a group of oncoming students. 

"Watch it! You almost broke me cell you twit!" A girl with blue hair sneered at Zillah as she picked herself off the ground, grabbing her phone in the process.

Zillah quickly stood up. The tears were flowing freely from her eyes now. She looked at the girl. Perfect. 

"Zillah! Zillah stop running!" Bobby was just now making his way down the hallway.

John turned to see his best friend come running down the hallway. Apparently after Zillah? What was going on? He would deal with that later, right now he needed to talk to Zillah. He turned to the small Asian girl. "Zillah, look im sorry about what happened down there. Please don't go.." He needed to talk to her so badly.

Zillah was going to have a breakdown! This was by far, the worst point in her life. She turned to face John. "John, I.."

Bobby was getting closer. Zillah gave John on last look and turned to the girl she had run into. She was inspecting her cell phone. Zillah snatched it out of her hand. "Sorry, I'm going to be needing this." She grabbed the phone and headed towards the door. 

"Zillah!" John started after her.

Bobby sprinted out the door after the both of them. He knew that if someone didn't stop her now, she would get away. He saw the solution. Playing with some jump rope in the drive way was a little girl with long red hair. "Siren! Stop that girl!"

The little read head looked puzzled. "Why?"

John watched as Zillah ran down he front steeps and started down the drive way. There as no way he was going to be able to stop her, especially now. "Zillah!"

Bobby yelled at Siren. "Just do it!"

Siren watched as a petite Asian girl ran towards her. She shrugged and started to scream at her.

Zillah though he ears were going to fall off. That little girl was a god damn banshee! She screamed as she fell to the ground, her super sensitive hearing was going crazy. She clutched the phone to her chest and went into a fetal position. Looking back at the mansion, she saw both Bobby and John covering their ears. Zillah could hardly concentrate enough to breathe. John stared to make his way slowly towards her cowering figure on the ground. He wasn't as effected by that girls voice as she was. Zillah screamed again. Damn it! She had to get out of here now. Gathering up all of her strength, she flipped to her feet and struck the little girl on the side of the head. That horrible shrieking stopped as the girl fell to the ground unconscious. There, now she could concentrate again. 

John watched Zillah take out Siren. Damn was she strong. She was going to get away. He stopped chasing her and stood there. "Zillah, please."

Zillah turned and saw John just standing there. She keep her eyes on him as she dialed a cell phone number. It rang once, twice, a third time, then someone picked up.

".....hello?"

"Blink! Blink this is Zillah, please I need your help. Im in the drive way of the Mutant school in Westchester."

"Oh sweetie, I'll be right there." The line went dead. 

Zillah tossed the phone on the ground and continued to state at John. She couldn't hold it in anymore, and she started to cry. "John, please forgive me!" 

He didn't answer her. 

All of a sudden there was a extraordinary loud ripping noise from behind Zillah. John, as well as a few other students who were outside, watched in awe as space itself seemed to be ripping open. Out of this hole, a young women hopped out, she had light lilac colored skin with a darker shade of hair. There were strange red markings on her face also, and she was dressed in a tight pair of jeans and a light green shirt.

Blink turned to Zillah, wiping the tears off her face. "Oh sweetheart." She looked towords the large mansion at the end of the driveway and narrowed her eyes. She didn't recognize the boy that was standing half way from the house, but the one on the stairs she did know. Bobby Drake, that brat.

Zillah wiped her eyes once more and turned away from John. "Please forgive me." 

Her voice was barley above a whisper. She jumped through the portal and disappeared off the grounds of Xavier's school for the gifted. 

Blink stepped forward and was about to confront Bobby when she remembered what she was here for. Turning back to her portal, her eyes shone with a bright white light. The portal began to shrink, and at the last second she hopped though.

  
  
  
  
  


"Is everyone here?" The immaculata trench coat early brushed the black marble floor. 

"Yes sir."

"Good, then let us begin." Ghost walked to the front of the room, the random chit chat and talking promptly ceased. He walked to the head of a full length glass table, its decor trimmed in what looked like silver, or was it platinum. "You all know why you are here today. We have just found out assassinations of the world leaders has been made official. It will happen at approximately 5 pm tomorrow afternoon. Right now, all of our forces is sending world out to as many mutants as we can find. My properties in Greenwich, Ontario, Ireland, Germany, and Texas should be able to accommodate up to ten thousand mutants, which is what we are expecting."

"Sir?" Blink leaned back in her chair. "What about those who don't believe us or don't want to group up?"

"We cannot force them to fight with us Blink, they have their own choices to make."

"Do you really think that they would attempt such a thing?" A man with silver hair and what seemed to be a bionic arm was shaking his head.

Ghost slowly nodded. "You have all witnessed the mass hatred and fear we are all regarded with. With such a impending event, there is no way that the public would have any sympathy towards mutants anymore."

"Blink spoke up again. "And why not try and avert this disaster int eh first place? Try and stop the killings."

"Blink, theses people are very well prepared. They know that there will be attempts to try and stop them, and, it would be just to their advantage is a mutant were to try and save these people. No doubt they would all be killed and the assassinations be blamed on the dead mutant. No, stopping something of this magnitude is inevitable. We can only prepare for the backlash that is going to come with it."

A women with dark purple hair and violet lips stood up. She was small but had quite a presence to her. When she spoke, it was with a slight British accent. "There would be no that the British government would stand by as a mutant massacre took place, and neither would the American government."

"Betsy, I understand what you are saying but consider this, with the President of the United States, the Prim minister of Britain, the Emperor of both China and Japan, and the Soviet Leader of the former USSR all allegedly murdered by mutants, this worlds ruling is going to fall into chaos. Martial law will be issued in America im sure, and the other weaker countries would soon follow suit."

Betsy Braddock pounded her fist into the table. "There is no way the world would let a genocide like this happen!"

Ghost sighed. "Betsy, calm yourself. Though we have only been informed about this situation for a short time, we have learned that the militaristic powers of all of these nations has been covertly exchanging both information and weapon technology on mutants. This global plan of treason is something that has never been planed before. After that incident at Alkali Lake months ago, I believe that the underground anti-mutant branches of the globe has had it."

"So what is the course of immediate action." A man folded his light blue arms across his chest. He had a mop of alone hair and a intimidating set of metal wings folded behind him. 

Ghost looked at the inner circle of the Legion. "It is exactly 11 am right now. Will all report back here at 1. Take care of whatever you need. After you return, we will begin to ready our defenses against the human's siege.

The inner circle nodded. No one said a word. They could almost feel the darkness that was closing in on them. 

"Any more questions?

No one said a thing. 

"Dismissed."

The members of the legion stood up out of their seats and preceded out the double doors, dispersing into the rest of the Ireland mansion. They all had their own agendas to attend to before the final plans were to be made. Only three people remained. Ghost turned to his wife and his little sister. "Zillah, Kali, I want you two to stay here, in Ireland. This will be the safest house, both the inner and outer circle will be here, as well as myself. 

"Zillah stared out into space. She was thinking about what had happened back at the mansion. Bobby. And John. 

"Zillah. Do you understand me?" Ghost was staring at her. 

"Yeah, I understand brother."

He nodded. "Good, as for now, I have business to take care of. Please don't leave the property."

"What is wrong?" Kali turned her emerald green eyes to the younger girl.

"Bobby was at the school."

Kali sneered. "Stupid boy. He should not be allowed into the houses." She practically hissed.

"...Ghost is taking the children from the school in?" But they didn't even know about what was going to happen.

"Yes, he is going to do that right now I believe. They are one of the last groups that still need to be informed of tomorrow. He thought it best to tell them last." She laid an elegant arm upon the surface of the table. Her nails clicked again its transparent surface.

Zillah thought of something. "Which house would they go to?"

"This one probably. Ghost wants the Professor here because he is a key player in this scene. As far as I know, the ones coming are that Professor and the residents of his school, Magneto and that women, and the rest of the Legion, and all the mutants in Europe."

God hated her. That is what Zillah finally realized. Why else would the students of the school be coming to this house? Why not the manor in Ontario? It was closer? But no, it just had to work out that both Bobby and John would be here within the next 24 hours. Zillah groaned and laid her head down on the table.

"I would not worry about that boy if I were you dear. With all of the people here I am sure that you two will not meet, let alone interact."

"Its not that Kali, its.."

Kali was examining her nails. "Hm?"

"Never mind." It's about John, Zillah thought to herself.

  
  
  
  
  
  


John thought he was looking at a stranger. Bobby Drake was sitting in the Professor's personal study at the mansion, and had just finished telling the Professor, as well as all of the adults about the Legion and his history with it. So that was where Bobby had come from after he had transferred to the school two years ago, he hadn't returned home after being a runaway. He had been living in Ireland as part of an underground society. Christ, he couldn't believe that Bobby had never told him any of this before, then again, he did manage to see the importance of it being kept from him. There was one thing that bothered him though. Zillah and Bobby. From what he had seen in the hall way just an hour ago, he knew there had been something major between them. Bobby had never mentioned her before to him, then again, apparently Bobby didn't mention much. John still couldn't get over it. What the hell were the chances that his best friend had been a part of the Legion. He shook his head slightly and turned his attention back to the conversation at hand.

After Zillah had disappeared with the strange women, the Professor had called both John and Bobby to talk to them. There, Bobby had explained everything about the Legion to the Professor, as well as the other adults. Apparently, Bobby had been contacted by Ghost a few years back, and Bobby had taken up his offer for joining the Legion, telling his parents he was going away on an exchange program, which wasn't entirely false. In Ireland, he had meet Zillah, and there those were together for some time. Then Bobby explained that he disliked the power and the danger of being involved with the Legion, especially at his younger age. He had left and gone home, then came to the school. After they had gone though all of that, the Professor had John tell of what happened to him. John told him about being with Magneto, biting back the intense feeling of betrayal the whole time. Then he told them about how they had freed Zillah, and how Magneto wanted to meet her brother and the Legion. All of them listening attentively the whole time.

"Fascinating." The Professor folded his hands into his lap.

Kurt looked at the two boys. "So, vhy den, did Ms. Zillah run avay?"

Both Bobby and John spoke at the same time. "I think that my fa-"

"We have a really bad hist-"

John shoot Bobby a look. Bobby's eyes fell to the floor.

Ororo crossed her arms over her chest. "Ah, the funs of being a teenager."

"So what now?" Logan was leaning against a full bodied wooden desk.

"I can honestly saw that we can't do anything. Though this legion exists, its not causing any dilemma of sort. Though, knowing Magneto, him meeting with someone like this could provide bad for our human relations somewhere down the line. Other then that, there is nothing we can really worry about right now." The Professor turned to face John. "Other then wait for John's decision on what he plans to do now."

John's eyes looked up from the floor, he look at the Professor. "What do you mean?"

"Well, your still free to go back to Magneto, as you were before, but you are also welcome back at this school John."

The closed doors to the study opened. "I'm afraid his decision wouldn't matter in the long run of things." Walking though the door was the man that Scott had pulled the file of. He was tall and elegant, short, spiky silver hair, and creamy white skin. 

All bodies in the room turned towards them. Wolverine snapped to attention, while Scott's hand went up to his glasses.

Seeing this made Ghost smile. "Do not worry, we are here only on the strict order of business." He turned towards the Professor. "Charles Xavier, my name is Ghost Rathen. I believe someone of your reputation and intelligence has heard of me somewhere in your travels. 

The Professor nodded. "Yes."

Behind Ghost, Blink walked in. She went to lean against a single bookshelf. Ghost gestured to an open arm chair. "May I?"

The Professor motioned for him to sit. "Of course."

Ghost nodded and sat down. "Thank you."

Xavier gazed at him for a moment. "So what brings you to this institute for the gifted?"

Ghost's expression was grave. "A proposition of sorts. To put it bluntly, in just over 24 hours, the top world leaders are going to be assassinated by their own government officials, allowing for a total militaristic take over of the biggest countries to stat. This timed murdering will be blamed on mutants and a war is going to begin. I have an estate in Ireland that can serve as a base of operations and a safe house for your children and yourselves."

"Wait just one damn minute-" Wolverine took a steep forward. "Do you honestly believe that were just going to listen and believe your bullshit?"

The Professor put up his hand. "Logan please." 

Logan relaxed his muscles, but not completely. 

"Ghost nodded in the direction of Logan. "I apologize for this intrusion, but the matter at hand is grave. :You are one of the last group of mutants that is being informed. I wanted to let you know myself."

The Professor listened intently. "How do you know all of this."

"I thought you might ask something like that. We were able to get a hold of their communication logs. It appears that the military heads of the United States, Japan, China, Russia, and Britain are all conspiring together."

Cyclops looked at a loss for words. "When did you find all of this out?"

"We have heard rumors about it for around a month, quite a hush hush operation if you would image, but the final confirmation, we got a hold of this earlier this morning. Already almost every mutant we have knoldge of knows of that they are in danger and that shelter is offered to them. They all don't know what is going to happen, but we made sure that they knew we weren't just toying with them."

Ororo gazed at the pigment less man. "And what of the mutants that decide not to believe you?"

Ghost shrugged. "We leave them up to their own choices in the end."

Logan narrowed his eyes. "You still haven't proved that your not lying to us."

Ghost stared at Logan for a moment, he took to wearing his sunglasses even indoors. He slowly nodded. "That is true Logan, you all do not know if I am lying or now. All you have is my word." He turned to Bobby who had remained silent the whole time. "Then again, Bobby here knows that when we deal with business, we do not lie."

All heads turned towards Bobby, Including John's. He keep his eye contact with Ghost. After all these years, Ghost still scared him. He was so powerful, so knowing. Even in the Legion, when he and Zillah had been together, he had seen the way Ghost looked at him. He had made it a point to let Bobby know that he was watching him. And now, after what had happen between he and his little sister, Bobby was sure that Ghost liked him even less, if at all.

"Well if you folks don't have any more questions, I must be off. I have a bit of business I must attend to." With that, Ghost stood up and walked out the door, Blink followed him. They turned the corner and the others, still in the study, heard the ripping nosie that was associated with Blinks portals. 

"I don't believe him at all." Wolverine started to speak.

"Neither do I Professor. He was too arrogant, too cocky, there is defiantly some alterier motive behind this." Cyclops joined his team mate.

The Professor seemed to disagree with his pupils. "I do not know, that man's mind so vast, the knoldge there was so deep. I think he is telling the trust." He seemed to inwardly sigh. 'Though there is only one way to know the truth. Cyclopes, I want you to take Wolverine, Storm and Nightcrawler to that manor in Ireland."

"We don't know where it is." Storm placed her hand on her side.

The Professor looked at the young man who was sitting on the couch, he was slumped over and he held his head in his hands. Sensing the pressure of everyone's stares on his head, he slowly looked up. Bobby rubbed his face and looked at the Professor who was gazing at him. The Professor smiled as Bobby looked up. "Yes, we do."

  
  
  
  
  
  


John awoke with a start. He was back, back at the mansion, back at the school, back to the place he wished he was not. He let his eyes slip open, the afternoon light cast an golden hue to everything in the library. He had fallen asleep in one of the arm chairs after the prior meeting earlier in the day. What a freaking mind trip. After the man that was apparently Zillah's brother had left, the Professor had dispatched Storm, and Wolverine to investigate the manor in Ireland, the place where that odd fellow had offered them shelter. Bobby had given them the coordinates to the place. Bobby, Bobby Drake, former member of the outer circle of the Legion. Who the hell would have though, he best friend. 

He had only been asleep for half and hour at the most, the chair gave him a kink in his lower back. John inhaled slowly and sat up, the bullet wound was still a bit soar. He rubbed his side and let his mind drift back to earlier. He had decided to go back with Magneto. Being here was just too much for him to have to deal with. The Professor was surprisingly understanding, but John knew he was ultimately disappointed, and that in itself made John feel like shit. It didn't matter though, this was his choice, and he was going to stick to it. Only problem was, he had no idea where Magneto was, his best bet was to go back to the place in Washington, Magneto and Mystique would eventually go back there. John looked at the watch on his left wrist, 5:48, he would have to be going soon. The flight back to the west coast left at 7 sharp. 

John stood up slowly and leaned his hand against the wall. He put his other hand on his forehead and heaved a sigh. "Zillah, what happened.." His heart twisted again. Whatever had happened between them had turned into one giant mess, more complicated then he would have ever guessed. How easy would it have been anyway? Did he really think that falling for a mutant that he helped bust out of prison would be that easy anyway? What had he been thinking? Well, it didn't matter what he thought any more, didn't matter how much he wanted to see her, it didn't matter how much his heart ached for her, she was gone. Disappeared forever somewhere out there, right through his fingers and into what the Professor had called a portal. Something created by a mutant with the ability to close and open portals leading to wherever she pleased. There was no way that he could find her now, no way even, that she even wanted to be found. John had might as well forget about her.

He ran a hand though his loose hair and straighten himself up. Time to go, for the last time. He made his way over to the doors to the library and was just about to open then, when they were opened by someone else. Deep brown eyes stared into icy blue ones. Great, it was Bobby.

"John."

"Bobby."

Bobby looked at his friend. He didn't look so well, he seemed exhausted, both physically and mentally. Bobby walked past John and leaned against a table. "Look, before you go again" John looked at him. "I just wanted to talk to you."

John stared into his eyes for a few moments and then looked away. "I have to go soon."

"You can spare a few minutes."

John turned around and sat back down in the chair. "Well Bobby, what do you want to say to me? Do you want to curse me out for leaving you and Rouge that day? Do you want to call me a fucking traitor? Or do you want to give me some weak lecture about love and how I should stay away from your ex girlfriend?" John crossed his arms over his chest. He wasn't really angry, he was scared. Scared that Bobby was going to judge him and see right though him, scared that he was making the wrong choice again, scared that he would never see Zillah again. 

"John look, why are you so mad? I'm not. God, I'm just glad your alive." Bobby sounded exasperated. 

John was speechless.

"That day at Alkali Lake, things changed forever that day. At first I was so mad at you, I thought that you turned your back on us, on the school, on me. I thought that maybe to you, our friendship meant nothing anymore, but then after a while, I realized that what you did that day, you decided not because you wanted to hurt us, but because you believe in something different, I guess." Bobby's voice was quit as he spoke to the floor. He couldn't meet John's eyes.

"I always thought that you and Marie, and this entire placed hated me."

Bobby smiled. "No, none of us did, especially the Professor." He suddenly frowned. "Are you happy with them John?"

John thought for a long time, he thought of all the times at the school, and all of the things that had happened after he left the school. "Yeah, I guess I am." He thought of Zillah. "Or was."

Bobby nodded in understanding. "How long have you two been....together?"

John looked away, he felt uncomfortable talking about Zillah with Bobby. "Not that long, a few days, hell I don't even know for sure if we are." He looked at Bobby. "How about before? How long were you with her?"

It was Bobby's turn to look away. "I knew you were going to ask me about her. Zillah and I, were together for just under 2 years. We started dating back when I first became a member of the Legion, then I left her when I left the outer circle."

John could already feel the shallow jealousy building up in him. "Were you two close?"

Bobby was still looking off into the distance. "You could say that."

"And what about now?"

Bobby visibly grimaced. "You saw what happened yesterday. Things were never really resolved between us, I hurt her so much." He finally looked up to John. "What about you two?"

John gave a sarcastic chuckle. "You saw what happened yesterday." He shoot Bobby a sad smile. "I care for her a lot man, but I guess, it doesn't matter."

"I wouldn't be too sure man, she is a though one to get through to, even before, if you were able to get to know her even that little, she likes you more then you give yourself credit for."

For the first time today, John smiled a smile of honesty. He looked up at his friend and nodded. "I missed you, iceman."

Bobby returned the smile. "You too Pyro."

The boys hugged each other, a silent exchange of apologies and forgiveness apparent. When the pulled away Bobby spoke first. "Your still going to leave aren't you?"

"Yeah, this just isn't the place for me." 

Bobby nodded in understanding. He could feel the tears start to rise up but he forced them down. "Take care of yourself John."

"You too, Bobby." 

  
  
  
  
  
  


"Are we there yet?" Logan lifted an eye.

Storm glanced at him sidewards. "Yes Logan, we are approaching the coordinates as we speak." She checked and rechecked that they were approaching the right destination. All of a sudden two blinking lights on the radar caught her attention.

"What are those?" Logan pointed to the two objects that were closing in on their position, just miles away from the manor.

Ororo furrowed her brow, what where they? They moved too erratic for either of them to be planes, and their figures were much too small.

"Storm..." Logan was looking to his right, outside his co-pilot's window. There, flying besides them was a spectacular mutant. He had blue skin, and his golden hair ruffled in the wind as he flew alongside of the Blackbird. With a flap of what appeared to be huge metal wings, the man glided closer to the plane, and motioned for them to follow him. He flapped his wings once again and took off in front of the jet, followed by another mutant, only this man seemed to be made of fire, leaving a small trail of flame in his wake.

Logan turned towards Storm. "I guess we found the place huh?" He massaged the spaces between his knuckles, he needed to be ready to fight, just in case.

Storm pressed a few buttons on the control panel and the jet burst forward, tailing the two airborne mutants as they sailed over the vast green hills of uninhabited Irish country side.

  
  
  
  
  
  


"You know Professor, we could just wait until Logan and Ororo send word." Scott stood behind the Professor on Cebrebro's's platform. The Professor had asked him to come down here, for what he did not know.

"I understand that Scott, but there is something I would like to see." He slipped on Cerebro's control helmet and steadied it. 

"See what?"

"Just watch, oh, and try not to move."

Scott flinched in mild surprise as, all of a sudden, the room went dark and a slight red glow began to fill it. 

"My God....." The Professor looked at the images that were being displayed around him. All over, there were tiny red dots on what seemed to be a world map, but there was something wrong with theses dots, they seemed to all be heading into specific locations. All over the world, Cerebro's's displayed that the mutant population was indeed moving, they were no longer spread around the world, but the red dots seemed to be gathering. There were still a few red dots here and there, and some in the process of moving, but most of them seemed to be going to a few specif locations. 

"Ireland, Greenwich, Texas, Ontario, they're all moving." Scott couldn't believe what he was seeing. Never before had so many mutants acted together. 

"So, it really is true." The Professor gazed at the display. 

"Professor look, the school, it's the only place now with an even slight gathering of mutants outside of those 5 locations.

"Yes, I see. Remarkable, never before have I ever..."

"So now do we believe them?"

"There was no real doubt in my mind Scott, just precautions have to be taken. These are the children that we will have to think about."

"We're going to move then aren't we."

The Professor didn't answer him. They were going to be tested, wether by God or some force of faith. The war was happening, all around, it was going to begin. He would seek shelter as offered by Ghost. There were too many consequences if he didn't. Xavier concentrated on a single mind. "So Eric, even your taking heed, you believe him too don't you my friend." A single dot became brighter as it enlarged into a figure. The figure was boarding a plane headed to Europe. The elderly man began to read a magazine as the plane continued to be boarded. Suddenly the images disappeared as the Professor removed the control helmet. "Scott, get me a communication with Storm and Wolverine up, there is much I need to talk to them about."

Scott nodded and headed out of Cerebro. This was insane, the future was going insane. The war was really beginning after all.

  
  
  
  
  
  


The blackbird sailed though the clouds, keeping the two airborne mutants in eyesight the whole time. The afternoon sunlight glinted off the metallic surface of the giant wingspan, as the mutant flapped them every so often. The other mutant seemed to just cut though the air, his entire body a living flame. 

Wolverine watched the two air born mutants from the comforts of his seat. There were no way that these mutants could avoid human attention, he found himself mildly surprised that he had never heard of these mutants before, than again, he hadn't heard about many mutants either.

The jet emerged from the high altitudes, following the decent of the mutants. They again motioned for the blackbird to follow them as they flew closer to he ground. The lush green hills rushed beneath them. 

"Wow, would you look at that." Wolverine caught a glimpse of a building in the far distance. Judging from afar, Wolverine guess that the building was no smaller then a luxury hotel, accommodating thousands of people at a time. 

The two mutants sailed over the estate and continued on for a bit, ahead, Storm spotted the small landing pad built into the top of a small hill. She carefully set the jet down and unbuckled herself from the pilots seat. Wolverine undid his own safety belt.

"Do you think theses guys knew we were coming."

Storm finished undoing her seat. "Perhaps, hopefully they knew we come with just negotiable intent."

As they exited the Blackbird, the mutant with the metal wings landed next to them. There was a metallic sheathing noise as his wings slid back into place behind his back. Not far from him, the living flame touched down, though, as soon as his feet hit the ground, the flames surrounding his body disappeared, leaving a medium built, young Japanese man standing there.

The blue mutant spoke up. "My name is Archangel, and that's Sunfire" He gestured behind him to the complex. "Welcome to the Legion's house number One."

In the distance, Wolverine noticed two black cars making their way over to the landing area. Archangel noticed this and address Wolverine. "My lord had a slight idea that a few of you would turn up. He has been waiting for you."

Storm nodded. "So is this where you plan to house all of the mutants?"

Archangel turned towards Storm. "A portion of them yes. At this house in particular, its been sectioned off for the mutants in Europe, the members of your school in Westchester as well as both circles of the Legion."

Wolverine shifted his weight. "And what about defenses? You people are going to make a stand against a large military force, how do you plan to defend yourself?"

"We are the defense." The blue man smiled, his metal wings seemed to flutter

A beeping from inside the jet caught Storm's attention. She excused herself and walked up the ramp to the control panel of the jet. There, she picked up one of the communicators and switched it on. 

"Storm, Wolverine, is that you?"

"Yes Scott, this is Strom, we have reached coordinates in Ireland, and this is indeed the place. They say that they've been expecting us."

"Good, here, the Professor would like to talk to either of you concerning the Legion."

"Professor?"

"Storm, I need you to somehow get into contact with that Ghost character. There are things that would like to discuses with him."

"Alright, I will see if I can somehow talk to him." Storm slid the portable communicator into her suit. Outside, the conversation was barley audible. It seemed more lively then she had left it though, and that worried her a bit. Left to his own, Wolverine usually didn't make for good conversation.

She ended the communication between her and Professor and headed back out of the jet. There, the cars had arrived at their destination. Standing between the other two mutants was a women that seemed to transcend the definition of regal. The close to sheer dress she wore reflected the sunlight all around her as she stood with her arms crossed over her chest. Her deep obsidian hair barely brushed her shoulders and her eyes were a disturbing shade of opaque emerald. Behind her, stood another new face, this one seemed to pull much of the violet pigment. Her hair was a deep purple as was her lips. She was dressed in a pair of black leggings and a simple, but reveling violet halter. 

As Storm descended the slant from the jet, all heads turned towards her. The women with the green eyes spoke. "Miss Monroe, as your partner has already been introduced, my name is Kali." She had a slight accent, she gestured to the violet women behind her. "This is my personal assistant Betsy. As members of the inner circle, we welcome you to our, humble, adobe." She gave a dangerous smile. "Come, my husband waits." 

The car doors opened on their own as Kali stepped forward. Following her lead, the other women got in as the mutants known as Archangel and Sunfire took off back into the sky. Wolverine and Storm watched the two mutants headed back towards the building.

Storm looked at Wolverine and he shrugged. He got into the car with the waiting ladies, Storm joined them a few seconds later.

  
  
  
  
  
  


"Marie!" Scott was jogging down the hallways of the school. He was looking for John and Bobby, hopefully they hadn't left yet. Bobby was going to see John off at the airport.

Scott waved Marie down as she headed to her next class. "Marie, where are John Bobby?" 

"I think they just about to leave? They're taking Bobby's car I think."

"Thanks." Scott hurried down the rest of the hallway. He made his way down to the garage portion of the school, and there, to his relief, the two boys were just getting in the car. 

He hurried to the side of the car and opened the driver's side door, making Bobby look up at him a look of surprise. 

"Bobby, John, come with me."

John frowned. "My flight leaves soon."

Scoot looked at Pyro. "Your not going to catch that flight. Were relocating all the mutants from this school to Ireland after all."

Bobby sighed and looked towards his feet. "Legion?"

"Yes Bobby. The Professor did some checking and talking with them. Bobby go get your stuff packed. John come on, your coming with us."

John seemed to stare forward. "Im not one of you, remember?"

Scott watched him for a moment. "Both Magneto and Mystique are headed to Ireland as we speak."

Bobby got out of the car. He slammed the door close. "They're going to kill me."

Scott walked around the car and opened the back passenger door, grabbing the bags located there. "No they will not, your well being was guaranteed by the Legion."

"Great." Bobby snorted.

John got out and closed his own door. "When and how are we going to get there? You can't just take 50 mutants to the nearest airport and book them all on the next flight to Europe." His head was going nuts. They were all going to Ireland. They would finally get to see this Legion for themselves. Would Zillah be there?

"The Professor didn't say, but we are all to meet in the dining hall in two hours." Scott tossed the bags at John. "Good thing you packed up." He headed out of the garage.

Bobby leaned against his car. "Shit, I almost would rather go join Magneto then go back to Ireland."

"Too bad he's in Ireland too." John smiled. When Bobby didn't smile back John walked up to his side, he leaned against the hood of the car. "Are they really that bad?"

Bobby narrowed his eyes. "No they're not. They're just really protective on one another, especially the inner circle."

"Hm, I can see where your coming from man." John bit his lower lip. "Zillah right?"

"Not just her, I technically dug out on them, I was just too young to handle something as intense as the Legion at the time I guess."

John looked away. "Do you think she will be there?"

Bobby smiled and looked at his friend. It was just like old times. "You really got a thing for her don't you."

"Yeah, what about it?" 

Bobby chuckled. "Yeah, she'll be there, it is her home after all. Though take my advice, watch out for her brother."

"You mean Mr. Snow White?" John raised an eyebrow.

Bobby inwardly shuttered. "Yeah, Ghost."

"He seemed pretty, uh, intimidating." John recalled the little talk earlier when that man had walked in. He had an aura of power around him. That and his physically appearance had thrown John off guard for a bit, how could he be related to Zillah at all? 

Bobby sighed again and stood upright. He picked up one of John's bags off the floor of the garage. "You have no idea."

John gave up his seat against the hood of the car and grabbed his remaining bag. He was going to see Zillah, there was the strangely familiar tightness around his chest, though he doubted that she wanted to see him again. So many things were happening right now, he found it all hard to swallow. Since when did his life become such a complicated thing. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


"So they're coming my lord?" A large man crossed his arms over his chest, one of them made of a bionic material. 

"Yes Cable. Blink, Kali, Betsy and I will be leaving to retrieve them shortly."

"All those children..." 

"They will be protected until the bitter end, I will promise you that. Where are our two visitors?"

"Polaris is giving those two a tour of the grounds. They seem to have settled down a bit." Ghost adjusted his glasses. "Are the defenses ready?"

Cable nodded. "We have our waves ready sir, and all of the telepaths know what they're supposed to do. My lady is leading them right?"

"Kali knows what to do when it begins. What about you? Which wave did you choose?"

Cable smiled. "I figure my telepethy isn't strong enough to be usefully in a situation such as this one, so I decided to help out the hand to hand section."

Ghost cast him a side ways glance. "You mean hand to gun?"

"Something along those lines."

Ghost nodded. He checked his watch and sighed. "There is never enough time in one's day."

"Business my lord?"

"Yes. Cable, make sure everything is ready to go."

He nodded.

"And be careful, this is going to one hell of a fight." Ghost turned and walked down the hallway. He continued up a flight of stairs and came to a room decorated in glass. Large glass windows let the sunlight filter in onto the large glass paneling that made up the floor of the room. A grand piano made up almost entirely of glass stood in the corner of the room, while glass benches and tables adorned the rest of the are. At the moment, there was someone on the piano, the beautiful melody of Bach filtering though the silence. There where three other girls sitting around the room.

Ghost walked to the piano and laid his hands on the women's shoulders. The must stopped. 

"We are ready my love." Kali had stopped playing and just let her hands rest on the glass keys. She was dressed this time in a plether dress, its knee length giving it a more elegant feel.

"Zillah, what are you doing here?" Ghost kissed the top of Kali's head.

The girl sitting cross legged on the floor sighed. She wore a pair of black leather pants and a deep crimson top made of tightly sewn satin. "I'm going to the school with you."

"Are you really?" Ghost looked at her.

"Yes." Zillah fiddled with the ends of her pants.

"Why not, the situation isn't dangerous and we could use an extra hand with all those students." Betsy leaned forward in her chair. 

"And besides, we could use her help if something does happen." Blink was leaning against the far wall.

Ghost turned towards his wife with a slight pleading look. "You too?"

Kali turned and looked at the young women sitting on the floor. She had talked to her earlier about what had happened, about Bobby, and John. "I see no harm in letting her come with us."

Ghost looked at the four women and exhaled audibly. "Alright, you win." He again checked his watch, right on time. "Well we should be leaving now, Blink."

"The lilac skinned women nodded and walked towards the center of the room. She paused for a moment as her eyes shone brightly. The tearing noise began and a small portal opened up. Betsy walked though followed by Ghost then Kali. Zillah stood up and headed though. Finally, Blink herself went though the portal as it slowly closed behind her.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Act 3: set the stage

  


Notes: pwahahah! I live! I am not dead as much of your have thought...no? Well sorry for the huge gap in updating and what not, I've been quite busy with graduation and getting ready for college. Hopefully ill continue with the updates. Thanks for the feedback and don't forget to review!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


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Marie listened to the Professor with mixed emotions. Although she throughly believe him, what he was saying was just so incredible. She turned to her boyfriend. Bobby was focused on the Professor as he addressed he students. He was different somehow, ever since John had come back, something had happened to Bobby. He recently had been keeping to himself when he was with her, though he spent more of his time with John. Marie looked at her hands. She bet it had something to do with that girl that had come to the mansion then vanished.

The Professor had started talking again. "I know that most of you find this hard to believe, but what I am telling you is the severe truth." He looked at the children of all ages gathered before him in the dinning hall. "From here on, I am going to need everyone's full cooperation if we are going to overcome this test that the future depends on."

Bobby raised his hand. "Professor, how are we going to get to Ireland?"

Marie looked at him. Ireland, what was he talking about.

"I have made arrangements for a means of transportation Bobby." He looked around the room. "For all of us."

John was sitting no the other side of Bobby. He, as well as Bobby, were the only students with any prior knowledge of the Legion and what was really going on. "Are we going to have to fight?" A of the students turned and looked at him.

The Professor looked at the children. There were so many of them, and some were so young. He looked towards eh back of the room to where Kurt was sitting, his expression was that of great sadness. The Professor turned back to John. "No, your generation will not fight, this war."

Marie looked between the two boys. They knew much more then they let on. What fighting was John talking about, weren't they relocating just incase people tried to put them all under arrest? Fighting? Would someone try to take the school like last year? She studied the boy's faces, Bobby attention was still on the Professor, while John's gaze was far off, deep in thought. 

It was Bobby who caught the noise. He knew what it was, his ears picking it out of the other noises outside the mansion. The familiar ripping noise. Blink, Blink and her portals, ripping space, proving Einstein's theory of distance being relative. He slowly stood up from his seat and walked to the window. John looked at him but said nothing. The Professor had stopped talking and was watching Bobby. He made his way to the large windows that over looked the school's entrance. Looking outside, his heart started to race. Walking towards the entrance of the school were some of the highest ranking members of the Legion. A women in a deep purple leather outfit lead the way, her deep violet hair was pulled up into a simple pony tail, her eyes and lips, both the same shade of violet were drawn taunt. Psylocke, always the serious one. Behind her, another women was walking to the entrance. This one had light lilac skin with red markings around her eyes and forehead. Her hair, which was almost a dulled orchid color, hung loose around her back, and she was dressed in a pair of leather pants and a light top which hugged her body tightly. Great, Blink was not that fond of him. As he looked on towards the remaining three figures, his mood feel ever more. Ghost walked up the drive way, dressed in his usually sunglasses and silver trench coat. White slacks, blazer, tie and shirt, combined with his silver hair made him seem like a stalking white tiger. A beautiful women, dressed in a reveling white leather dress and glass heels flanked Ghost. Bobby's jaw dropped when he saw the last figure clearly. It was Zillah, dressed in a pair of tight black leather pants and a crimson halter. She looked good, then again she usually did, though she dressed like the old Zillah he knew, dangerous but alluring, just like her brother. Someone was calling him.

John watching Bobby as he continued to stare out the window, oblivious to everything and everyone around him. "Bobby."

Bobby turned from the window. He gave John a look then looked to the front of the hall, to the Professor. "They're here."

The Professor nodded, Cyclops automatically heading for the door, but the Professor stopped him. "Scott, don't bother. They're already inside."

Bobby slowly took his seat.

Marie leaned over. "Bobby, what the hell is going on? Who is here?"

Bobby leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his light blonde hair. "Them, the Big 5."

"Bobby what are you talking about?" There was concern written all over her face.

"The Big 5, as we used to call them. The top 5 of the inner circle, the highest ranking members of the Legion. Well, no including Warren and Nate that is." No one knew who or what the hell he was talking about, but he didn't really care.

Marie was so confused. What was going on? Who were theses people Bobby was talking about, and how did he know them, let alone get involved with them.

John smiled when he saw the look on Marie's face. Lost, confused, like a small puppy in a parking lot. He slapped Bobby on the back. "Oh come one, don't tell me you haven't told her yet."

Bobby shoot him a glare, he forgot how much of a smart ass John could be sometimes. He turned towards Marie. He didn't want to hurt or confuse her any more then he had to, but things were so complicated right now. "Marie, I, I'll tell you later. There is too much to even begin to explain right now, but I promise I'll tell you when I have the chance."

"Don't be so melodramatic man, we're all going to die any way." John began to fiddle with his lighter.

Bobby glanced at John. "She's here ya know."

John dropped his light. He hastily picked it up and turned to his friend. "What?"

It was Bobby's turn to smile. "She is his sister after all."

"Who are you guys talking about!" Marie keep her voice low, as to not draw too much attention. 

Bobby was to say something when the doors to the dining area opened.

All heads, including the Professor's turned as the people walked in. The room had gone completely silent. John watched Zillah as she walked in. Good god, did she look good. 

Bobby leaned over to his friend and whispered. "Your drooling."

"Shut up." He continued to stare. 

Marie looked from the girl to the two boys. She narrowed her eyes, she remembered her from that one day. Bobby had only said she was a friend from his past, but she thought it was something more. She looked at John, so this is who they had been talking about.

The group stood randomly at the head of the room, Zillah herself leaned against the large window while her brother went and softly talked with the Professor and Cyclops. The students began to whisper amongst themselfs, about the good looking strangers, and that girl that had caused a scene at the mansion just a few days ago.

The Professor came forwards and addressed the school. "Students, theses are the people who have offered us a place to take refuge for a while. I trust that you will regard them with the same respect that you all have for myself." He nodded towards Ghost.

Ghost stepped forwards and nodded slightly. "You must excuse me. I am not used to working with people so young, so please bare with me. My name is Ghost Rathen, and due to impending events, we shall all be heading out to my estate in Ireland." He looked over to Blink who also steeped forwards. "This is Blink, her mutation allows her to open portals to different places and in a minute she will open one here, allowing us to travel directly to the manor in Ireland."

Blink looked around her for a decent space to open her portal. Spotting some open space, she concentrated as her eyes shone brightly. The ripping noise reverberated though the room and the large portal opened. 

The Professor moved forward. "Take what bags you have and Cyclops will directly you into the portal." 

Cyclops picked up his own bag and headed to the first table of children. "You guys come with me." He turned to the other students. "As soon as one table goes, the next should follow."

Already the students were standing up, getting their things ready. No one panicked, all of them had been through so much in their lives already.

The table that John and Bobby sat on was getting their belongings ready also.

John grabbed his bag and looked to the front of the room. Zillah stood there, watching him. He changed a smile and was surprised when she returned it. He noticed that she didn't look at Bobby at all.

The students had already began to file into the portal with Cyclops leading the way. In the front of the room, Nightcrawler, the Professor and Ghost were talking. Kali slowly walked from her position next to Ghost and stated to whispers with Zillah, casting glances towards the back of the room where John and Bobby were still standing.

Marie and Bobby were talking, while John kept his gaze on the small Asin girl in the front of the room. He set his bag down and headed to talk to her. Hey, that smile couldn't have been that bad of a sign right?

Zillah saw John heading for it. Talking to Kali had cleaned up a lot of her feelings about that him, and that she was glade for. She took a steep towards John's approaching figure and stopped. Something outside caught her attention.

Across the room, the Professor, then a moment later, Psylocke turned towards the window also. They could sense the mental presences outside. 

"Zillah, I think you should come away from the window..." The women in the purple leather stated for the younger girl.

Zillah peered out though the window. There was about half a dozen men outsides, all in the dark blue FBI uniforms. Someone had reported seeing her again, damn it, and this time they did better then the local enforcement. She turned to her brother. "Ghost, we have company, though, I think they're still mad about what happened in Michigan."

Ghost nodded. He turned to the Professor. "Get your students though the portal Xavier, well handle this."

The Professor turned to Kurt. "Bring up the rest of the students quickly. We must get them out of here."

Kurt nodded and teleported to the back of the room. Bobby, Marie, and Peter were some of the only student left. He spoke to them. "Please hurry children. We must leave now."

Bobby looked to John who stood half way between Zillah and himself. "John, come one."

John turned and looked at Zillah. She turned from the window. "John, we'll talk when we get to Ireland."

He nodded and headed back to Bobby. The rest of them grabbed their things and headed for the portal. Just as Marie was about to steep though, the Professor turned to Zillah. 

"Zillah, steep away from the wind-"

It was too late, Zillah had only stated to turn away when the eight rounds were fired, shattering the glass and ripping though her body. Ghost caught her before she hit the ground and picked limp body up, blood running freely down his now crimson stained clothes. 

John rushed to her side. What the hell had happened. Oh God, there was so much blood, Zillah's blood. 

Ghost eyed the boy. Kali had mentioned there was someone Zillah had feelings for, was it this one? He could sense the boy's earnest concern for his sister. "Get though the portal, I'll take care of her."

John didn't argue with him. He had the feeling this man knew more about things then he would ever.

Nightcrawler ushered Marie and Bobby through the portal, but not before Bobby cast a look at Zillah, he was worried about her, but he knew she was going to be fine. 

John headed for the white portal and stepped though, right behind him was Nightcrawler, who walked with the Professor. The remaining members of the Legion looked at one another. Ghost, who was still holding his unconscious sister, turned to Psylocke. "Betsy."

She was already heading for the window. "Already on it sir. There are, seven men, all FBI. They're here for Zillah, dead of alive. Stupid humans." 

She backed up and took a running start, headed straight for the window. With every steep she took, her hands seemed to glow a bright and magenta. As the brilliant light began to intensify, they conformed into what appeared to be duel katans. Bracing herself, Psylocke sailed though what remained of the window, damn did she love a good brawl. 

  


Ghost headed for the portal, his younger sister clutched to his chest. "Blink, I'm going to take her through, Betsy shouldn't be too long."

Kali walked up next to the portal maker. "I'll stay until they're done."

Ghost regarded her and nodded, his gaze telling Kali to be careful. With that, he stepped through the portal and into his manor in Ireland.

Below, Psylocke was having her own fun. She somersaulted once, twice, to avoid the bullets that the FBI officers were shooting at her. She went for the one kneeling behind the tree first, running half way up the trunk of the tree and pushing herself off, twisting into a spin on the way down. She brought on of the katans down fast through the top of the mans head, his eye's going white as the ethereal blade was driven into his brain. Taking no time to recover, she continued to eliminate the small team. She was far to quick, to agile for the men to get a lock on. She grabbed the officer nearest her and used him as a shield, his team mates filling his chest cavity with their bullets of lead. Tossing the body aside, she front flipped into the remaining five men, spinning as she landed the last flip, her katanas going through four of them. They made no sound as their bodies hit the floor. She eyed the last man, she could see the fear in her eyes. They were dispatched here to capture Zillah, by any means possible. Instead, they found their deaths at the duel ends of weapons made of pure psyonic energy. She kicked her right foot forward, catching him under the jaw. As he careened backwards, she twisted her body around and hit him with a lightning quick round house to his chest, slamming his already beaten body against a near tree. Before he could move, Psylocke slid her katana right in-between his eyes. She held it there until he stopped twitching, a clear liquid dribbled out of his left ear. Checking around her, she counted all seven bodies. Good, got them all. 

Blink peered through the window, Betsy was one of the best fighters they had, quick, clean, and efficient. She looked to Kali who stood beside her and. "That was fast."

Kali smiled. "Certainly was." She headed for the portal and went through.

Blink turned her attention back to the violet hair women on the ground floor. Closing the portal in the dining area, she reopened a smaller one near Psylocke, who waved at her and walked on through. Whistling to herself, Blink closed that one and finally opened one for herself. Stepping through, she shoot a last glance at the fabled school for the gifted.

+ + + + +

Zillah let out a labored breathe. God damn it, she hated getting shot. Even though he body was healing at an extraordinary level, it would still take a bit before she could function normally again. She clutched at the white leather, she was in the arms of her brother, and by the voices she heard, they were back in Ireland, at the mansion. She forced her eyes open, and found herself looking at a pair of intimidating firearms. Looking up she saw that the owner of the guns was a women in black and purple armor. She had deathly pale skin, with a circle of black around her left eye. 

"Domino, take Zillah upstairs, have her cleaned up." Ghost handed his groggy little sister over to the women.

Domino nodded and took Zillah into her arms. She headed up stairs.

John set his bags down in the middle of the floor. Around him, all the other students were doing the same, taking in the grandeur of the place. Beside him, Bobby was looking around, with an unreadable expression of his face. John turned to him. "How does it feel to be back?"

Bobby turned to him. "You don't want to know."

Marie and Peter walked up to the two boys, Marie standing next to Bobby. "Wow, some place this is, looks even bigger then the mansion."

"It is." Bobby looked up, watching as Beatrice carried Zillah's body up to the medical wing.

Marie watched him. "Ok Bobby, you promised me you would tell me what the hell is going on with you. Now seems like a good time."

John smiled. Marie was going to have a trip when she found out just how deeply involved in this mess Bobby was.

Bobby sighed. He looked at Marie. "I was part of the Legion for around two years, before I came to the school, that's how I knew Zillah."

"Quite well I might add." John had his lighter in his hand. He began to play with it.

"What do you mean?"

Bobby shoot John a sideways glance. "Zillah and I, were, well, we were in a serious relationship when I was in the Legion. But after a while, I couldn't handle the intensity of this organization and I.."

"Turned yellow and dropped out, leaving behind his friends and a very hurt girlfriend." The four of them turned to find a blonde girl and several others listening in on the conversation.

Bobby groaned. "My day keeps getting worse and worse." He looked up at the blonde girl. "Hello Paige, long time no see."

"Hello Bobby Drake."

John looked at his friend. "Old friends of yours?"

A women with short green hair put her hands on her hips. "I don't know Bobby, are we still friends?"

Peter looked at her. "Pardon, but who are you all?"

The blonde girl gave a taunting smile. "Your not going to introduce us Bobby?"

Bobby gestured. "The talkative blonde one is Paige Gutherie, or Husk." He pointed to the green haired girl. "That's Lorna Dane, or Polaris." Nodding his head, Bobby went on with the introductions. "The guy with the silver hair, that's Pierto Maximoff, Quicksilver, that blonde guy's name is Sam Guthrie, just call him Cannonball, and that one playing with the cards, is Remmy LeBeau, otherwise know as Gambit."

The one known as Cannonball crossed his arms over his chest. "Who the hell are you guys?"

Bobby stepped back so he could introduce his current friends to his old bunch of comrades. "This is my girlfriend Marie, or Rouge. That big guy is Peter Rasputine, otherwise known as Colossus, and this is John Allerdyce, or Pyro."

Polaris spoke up. "Hey I've heard of you. Weren't you part of Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutants?"

"Me?" John was caught off guard.

The girl with teal colored hair rolled her eyes. "No, the girl with the bad dye job, of course you."

Rouge took a steep forward, but Bobby held her back.

John fiddled with his lighter. "Well uh, yeah, I guess."

Quicksilver studied John. He was best friends with Zillah, and she had mentioned something about this boy, or was it someone else. She had said he wasn't that tall, but he had brown hair and went by the code name Pyro, also Bobby's best friend. This had to be him. "Lay off him Polaris."

She glared daggers at the silver maned boy.

+ + + + +

Towards the front of the room, Ghost had shed his bloody coat and was talking to the Professor. "This room has been designated for your students stay, there's bedding there, in those closets, and the bathrooms are located down those hallways."

"And, if and when the fighting starts?"

Ghost smiled at the Professor. "Xavier, do not worry about that, your children will come under no harm while I am alive. We have quite a tight defense around his mansion, nothing should be able to get through."

The Professor slowly nodded. "I trust you have taken all precautions into your judgement."

"Yes we have." He turned towards the two violet haired women. "Psylocke, was everything take care of?"

"Yes sir, there was only 7, and they have been dealt with."

"Good."

The Professor watched them for a moment. "Is this how you deal with most of your problems?"

Ghost looked at him. Xavier was undoubtably probing their minds right now. "Yes, we return the same courtesy that they show us."

The Professor could only nod.

+ + + + +

John fidgeted with his lighter. The way things were going between the two groups, a fight was going to start sooner or later. Marie had taken off her gloves and was pressing forwards, Bobby's effort to hold her back doing no good what so ever. "Come on blonde, you wanna go?"

The other girl narrowed her eyes at Marie. "Your not worth the effort bitch."

That did it, Marie reached for her exposed arm.

Husk watched as Marie reached out to touch her exposed arm, she looked Marie in the face and grinned.

Marie was just about to grab hold of her when her eyes widened in shock. Where she was going to grab this girl's arm, her skin rippled a few times, causing Marie to draw her arm back in surprise.

"I wouldn't touch me if I were you." The rippling stopped.

John threw Bobby a look, this was getting out of hand. Bobby seemed to understand and steeped forward. "Ok, enough you guys! Look, Husk, just leave her alone, she doesn't understand about the Legion or anything." He pulled Marie back this time, behind himself.

"She just better learn to watch who's she dealing with." Polaris eyed out Marie. "You children aren't at your safe little school anymore. Come on you guys."

"Better learn to watch who your dealing with!" Marie struggled against Bobby's grip.

John clicked his lighter closed. 

Peter let out a sigh of relief.

Bobby turned Marie so she had to look at him. "Marie, you know I care about you, but please, trust me on this one, you need to watch out here."

"What? I can handle myself." Her eyebrows were drawn together in a frown.

"I know you can, but, these mutants, they've all learned to master their powers, and they're all deadly fighters, so please don't start anything."

"I might have to finish it though." Marie shoot a look to the figures that were walking away.

Bobby sighed, that was as good of an agreement as he was going to get.

John flopped down on the nearest chair. Where the hell did they take Zillah? Was she ok? He looked at his friends, they were all engaged in another conversation. Bobby was probably trying to explain the rest of everything to them. John flicked his lighter on, watched the flame dance for a second, then flipped the lid close. He hated just sitting here. Gazing upwards, he found he could see what was happening on the floors above him. Wow this place was huge, he counted seven or eight stories upwards, but something on the third story caught his eye. There was a women there, talking to someone hidden in a doorway. The women had long dark hair, place skin, and a black circle around her left eye, but that's not what he was looking at. In her arms, there was a pair of bloody black leather pants, and a dark red shirt, which appeared to have darker stains on it. Those were Zillah's clothes. John looked around him, everywhere, students were sitting, standing, talking and just sitting around, while some strangers were busy bustling around. No one would notice if he took a adventure up to the third story right?

John got up out of his seat and check to see if anyone was watching him. No one was. He walked to the back of the room, where the staircase was located and started to walk up. No on noticed him and he quickened his pace, heading up to the second, then their story. He quietly walked down the hallway, the women that had Zillah's bloody clothes was no where to be seen. John crept to the door way and peeked in. There on a large bed, with black sheet, Zillah was resting, a women with long red hair was sitting next to the bed. She reached down to Zillah's body and picked something up. As she dropped the object into a small metal bowl, it made a soft clang. 

"What do you want?" The women with the long red hair didn't even bother turning around.

Zillah looked towards the door and gave a small smile. "It's ok M, I know him."

The women turned and looked at John, only then did he notice her hands. In place of regular fingers, this women seemed to have long claws, and her eyes, they were all blue, with no iris or whites. 

M went back to picking out the bullets from Zillah. "Your from the school aren't you." Clang.

John stepped into the room. "Yes, Zillah, are you alright?"

Zillah looked up at the ceiling. "I will be, gimme 20 more minutes."

M smiled to herself and picked out the one remaining bullet. 'All right sweetie, all done. Try to stay away from automatics from now on."

"Thank you M, I'll try." Zillah laughed softly and started to cough.

John walked to her side as M stood up out of her chair. As she walked out of the room John took her seat. He looked at Zillah for a moment.

Zillah watched John watching her, she was dressed only in her bra and underwear, there were still chucks of herself missing as her body continued to heal, though she would be completely healed in a matter of minutes.

John held back the urge to reach out and stroke her hair. He didn't know how to act around her any more. There was just so much to say, he couldn't even begin to say any of it.

Zillah looked up at John and smiled. She reached for his hand, and he took hers. She squeezed back when he softly squeezed her hand. "John."

"Zillah."

+ + + + + 

The Professor's wheelchair silently glided through the halls of the Ireland manor. As he came to the door way, he entered into what seemed like a small study; cozy and homely in manner; unlike most other rooms of the building. Situated on a leather arm chair sat an elderly fellow, his back facing the Professor. Xavier looked at him for a moment, searching for his thoughts and motives not with his mutant powers, but with his heart. 

The elderly man slowly turned a page of the book he was reading, seemingly unaware of the world's most power telepath, just a few paces behind him. After reading the first few lines of the page he placed the book down and sighed. "To what do I own the pleasures of this reunion, old friend."

"I would say that it would be a surprise to find you here Eric, but to that I cannot admit." Charles Xavier wheeled himself so he faced the mutant known as Magneto at a slight angle. "Though I will ask of what you plan to do with this final war that you are finally faced with."

Eric Lenhsherr looked past the gaze of his friend. "You know me Charles, I plan to fight along side my fellow brethren, but of course, this was not the intention that I had in mind when I rescued that Rathen child."

"So you too had no idea of what was to come."

Magneto turned an eye to Xavier. "That a war was coming? No, my friend I knew well what awaited the clash of humanity and mutant kind." He seemed to tire all of a sudden. "Though I did not think that such an end would come so swiftly, a bitter end it seems; a bitter end to finish what has become a bitter race."

Charles regarded his words. "And which race would that be."

"And what of you Charles? What do you plan to do when the mighty fist of war bares down upon you and your X Men, and that of your precious students. Will you fight? Or will you uphold your hopes of a peaceful settlement between us and mankind. Will you fight for your future or merely hope for it."

Xavier looked Eric in the eyes. "I do not know what I will ask of my X Men, but I do know that I cannot ask the children to fight. Their the generation will not become entangled in our war."

"Then you leave them to faith my friend, and whatever ends this war for the future brings."

"Perhaps, but one must have faith in the future, else what are we to hope for if we cannot hope for that."

Magneto let his gaze wonder, finally resting on the large windows. The afternoon sun was beginning to set, creating dancing shadows from beneath the large trees outside. "Faith in ourselves Charles, for no one else is going to shape the future, but the ones who make it out alive."

+ + + + + +

Zillah leaned against the feathery down pillows of her bed. Lord did it feel nice. John sat on a chair just to the left of the bed, by his posture she could tell that he was weary. She didn't blame him, after all that had happened

"How are you feeling?" John blurted out.

"Huh? Oh." Zillah peeked under her own blankets and wrinkled her noes. "Still a little holy but I'll be fine."

John chuckled a bit. "God, I could hardly handle one shot, how did you manage five of em?"

"Six." Zillah corrected him. "But then again, I bet it also took you a few weeks to get over the chicken pox."

"Yeah, I guess that's true." The uncomfortable silence returned.

Zillah filled with the sheet for a bit before speaking. "So what do you think of this place?"

John took a deep breathe. "Where do I even begin? This place is gorgeous, though I might say more for some of the residents here."

She lifted and eyebrow. "Oh, and what makes you say that?"

John chuckled again. "I didn't mean it like that. Well, beside the fact that the mutants here seem to have, by far some of the most incredible mutations I've ever seen, they seem really..." how could he put it, "serious."

"Yes, I can understand where your coming from. Everyone is really quite nice when you get to know them." Zillah smiled at the thought of Polaris and some of the more, spunky characters.

John ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, unless your Bobby."

Zillah's smile disappeared. 

"Sorry, I didn't mean to mention him."

She brooded for a few moments then exhaled a long held breathe. "It's not your fault John, I suppose after all this time I should get over."

"You two were close weren't you." 

She looked away. "Yes, we were. Quite close really."

John hesitated. Did he want to press on? He didn't want to make her uncomfortable but he did want to know the truth about what had happened between those two. "What happened."

Zillah eyed him for a moment. She liked him, and obviously there was some attraction on his part, but she owed him no explanation for theses feelings she had for Bobby so long ago. "I don't know....I" she regained her composure, taking a deep breathe. "I never got to talk about it with him, just suddenly left. I guess maybe, he couldn't handle some of the things the Legion was going through? I just don't know."

"I don't think he does either." A voice from the doorway caused both Zillah and John to turn in surprise. There leaning against the deep wooden frame, was Bobby.

John sensed Zillah tense up. He looked from his best friend to the girl he cared about, then back again. He didn't need to posses psychic powers to realize that he didn't have a place in the up and coming conversation. He slowly got up. "Looks like I need to take a breather or something." John cased a look of longing towards Zillah but she didn't catch it, her colorless gaze locked with an icy blue one. John smiled sadly and walked from the room, not so much as glancing at Bobby on his way out. 


	4. remeber

  
  
whoa; havnt updated in a LONG time. wow. well i guess i cant just let this strory die... ah well. waring this is kind of a bloody chapter. im just writing as i go too so i have no idea where this story is going. any suggestions would be cool. also disclaimer, none of the marvel characters belong to me...:(.  
n e who, i more reviews i get the more typring ill do!   
  
Zillah exhaled akwardly. The silence was deffning, and neither of them were showing any signs of being the first to break it. She knew that she no long held any romatic intrests in Bobby, but there was still this unsaid barrier of uneasiness between them. So much had happened between them. There was much that had been said, and even more that had not been.  
Bobby fidgited with the corner of the bed sheet for a moment. He knew he had interupted a moment between John and Zillah, but what he needed to discusses couldn't wait any longer. It was time to put right what had happened years ago. War was on the horizen, but that was no excuse. He needed to stop running from his past, for both his sake and hers.   
Zillah. I'm sorry. Bobby raised his eyes for the first time since walking in. He looked into dual pools of ebony and refused to let himself turn away.   
Zillah opened her mouth to protest, but he raised his hand. Please, before you say anything....please just hear me out. Then you say anything you want; scream at me even. I probably deserve whatever's comming, but for now just....let me try and explain.  
Zillah expression didn't soften any, but she remained silent.  
Bobby nodded. He ran his hands up the side of his face and through his golden hair. God, where do I begin. Do you remeber the Okinawa.....incedent?  
Zillah flinched.  
I still dream about that night.....  
  
**_100 meters off the coast of Okinawa, Japan two years ago.....  
_**_ The base was located deep under the ocean's solid bedrock. Almost a mile undergound was the largest illegal, yet government funded mutant testing facility of the century with an estimated 330 mutant test subjects and prisoners. Their task, although of the highest priority and importance, was simplistic in nature. Commendeir the the base and free the prisoners. Nothing could have prepared them for what really happened that night.  
Wanda! Behind you! Betsy barely had enough time to dodge the fresh onslought of bullets from yet another security team as they emerged from the halographic walls. There was a scream, and the sickningly wet sound of bullets penatrating flesh. There was no deathly thump as the mutant formily known as Scarlet Witch hit the ground. How could there be; too many other bodies littered the floor, cushening her fall.  
The women known as Psylocke gave enraged battle cry and charged into the fray of armed guards, not caring if she got shot or not. After mearly ten minuites, the dozen of men were lying on the floor dead; either from a nervouse system or primary cortex shut down- casued by her ethreal blades, or snapped necks and shattered spines.  
Even as perfected a fighter as she was, Psylocke had been shot three times. Once in the right theigh, once in the left sholder, and once in stomache which now began to bleed freely. She gripped her middle to try and slow the bleeding while crawling to where the body of her best friend lay As she drew near, she found that Wanda wasn't dead. She made a slight gurgling nosise as she struggled to take breaths of air into her lungs- which she knew must be atleast half filled with fluid by now.   
Psylocke slumped down next to her and stroked her forehead, wiping what blood she could off her face. Wanda's eyes fluttered openat the touch, and her lips began moving, though almost no sound came out.  
............wounds....vital.....suffer too long...please.......end......please....  
Betsy closed her own eyes and shook her head. She knew what Wanda was asking. There was no way she was going to survive with the wounds she had, but none had hit her in any vital areas. Her death was eminet, but it was going to take her hours to either bleed to death, or drown in her own blood. She turned back to Wanda who was still staring at her.   
Wanda's body gave a sudden shudder and she let out a weakend moan. A trickle of blood began to seep out of her left nostril.   
Betsy reached for her hand and grasped it. Her own middle throbbed with the fire of the bullet wound, but she knew she was no where close to what Wanda was feeling. She gave Wanda's hand a sudden squeeze and felt a single tear slide down her cheek. ....forgive me.  
Wanda let her eyes close and a soft, sad smile lingered on her lips. Her body seemed to relax a little and she mumbled softly. ..thank you...Betsy.  
Betsy clenched Wanda's hand even harder, not caring if she hurt her any more of not. Drawing her free hand back, she concentraed her energies into the form of her first weapon. The magenta psyonic energies swirled around her fist and formed into a single conic shape of dancing energy. With just the slightest instant of hesitation, Betsy pulled her fist back even further, then jammed the ethreal weapon into the side of Wanda's head, not stopping until her fist came into contact with the Scarlet Witch's right temple.  
Wanda's body gave a violent shudder, but her eyes remained closed. Her mouth opened but no sound came out, then she went deathly still.  
Betsy held her hand for a moment longer then foldered her comrad's hands across her chest. She mumbled what could have been a few lines of a prayer, then forced herself to stand up. Her body screamed in protest, and her right leg almost gave out, but she willed herself to stand. If she too was going to die in this wretched place, she would die on her feet, fighting, and undoubtable taking someone else down with her.   
She looked around at what used to be one of the security post and closed her eyes. The floor was littered with bodies- mostly human security, but there were bodies belonging to some Legion memebers as well. There were four teams dispatched into the facility to secure it. Nearly fourty Legion memebers in all, including some from both outter and inner circles, like herself. Ghost had come along as well, so had Kali and her boyfriend Bobby, though where they were she didn't know anymore, proably somewhere deeper in the complex.   
Betsy struggled to make her way across to the main control pannel. It was more difficult then it seemed, as she had to pick her way across the floor. She didn't care if she stepped on the broken bodies of the dead security men, but she carefully avoided the bodies of her teammates. Her entire team was dead, all eight of them. They had taken care of the five security teams of men that were there, but no one expected the three additional teams of anti-mutant defence soliders that had appeared; all of them armed with weapons that were undoubtly illegaly created for mass mutant annnilation.  
She pushed the thought out of her mind, and had barely reached the control panel when the floor beneth her feet gave a violent lurch, followed by a deffning rummble and the sound of screaming metal. The shaking continued for a brief minuite, then the sound of sirens and alams filled the nearly lifeless room. Somewhere else something very bad had happened.   
Betsy was about to sit down when she heard the nosie in behind her. At first she though it was another strange weapon being fired, and was about to fling herslef behind the near by councle, but then realized it sounded all to familiar.   
her voice was raspy and weaker then she intended.  
The orchid colored mutant nearly fell through her own portal. Betsy saw the drying blood that ran down half her entire body from a large gash in head and two in her side.   
Blink stumbled for a few seconds then regained her balance. Psylocke was the only one still left from team C. She quickly gazed around the room and closed her eyes. It was the same throughout the entire facility, so much had gone wrong.   
Betsy...quick. I can't hold the portal open for very long...I'm too weak. Everyone...... her voice faltered for a second They're topside, this is the last...some fucking bastared ......self destruct...  
Betsy limped as quickly as she could towards Blink. Her vison was beginning to darken and her head was swimming. She was a little more worse for wear then she thought. As she stepped through the portal, she found herself in the middle of the Ireland estae, house number one. She nearly collapsed into a pair of pale arms, and moments later there was a muffled whum' as Blink hit the floor next to her, apparently barly able to make it trhough her own portal. The portal almost instanly slammed shut behind them. Blink had gone unconcious.  
Betsy barely managed to look up into Domino's tragic expression before the world fadded away as she slumped down completly unconcious.   
  
Zillah woke up screaming. The last thing she had remebered was Ghost shoving her out of the way as a large gun was fired. Hundreds of what looked like long thick pieces of metal struck him. The shrapnel should have torn a normal mutant apart,but Ghost's body refused to fall apart.; his own healing mutation was bearly able to hold himself together as he was basically stapled to the wall from the momentem of the weapon. A thin sheet of blood almost intantly began to floor from his unmoving form. Enraged, Zillah flung her dimonand katana at the man, and he too was thrown back agasint the far wall. Her own shimmering sword holding him a few feet off the floor from the position between his eyes. From across the room Bobby was screaming her name, but she hardly had time to turn around as the large iron bludgeon hit her in the head. She didn't remeber anything after that.  
She turned to her left and saw Bobby lying in a bed next to her. His middle was bandaged heavily, as was his head and left leg. She was about to call out to him when she heard the familiar clicking of heels advancing towards her. She turned and found Kali walking into the infermerfy. She looked disheavled and drained, a drastic changed from her always flawless appearance. Zillah could only watch as Kali sat down at the foot of her bed. Her expression was tired, but there was so much sorrorw written on her face it almost made her heart break.   
Kali...what happened...Ghost... Zillah's own voice was cracked and weak.  
Kali didn't reply for a few seconds, and to Zillah thoes seconds were the longest in the world. Ghost is going to be alright Zillah, he's still...being worked on. You'r the first to wake up; Bobby brought you back.   
Zillah was about to ask about Bobby, but Kali was going on. Bobby will be fine too, with much rest and time.  
Did anyone......how... Zillah couldn't bring herself to say it outloud.  
For the first time since Zillah had known her, Kali let tears slip down her face. She was the strongest women Zillah knew, and for her to be crying....  
Zillah, you, Ghost, Bobby, Blink, Betsy, and Paige....were the only ones that came back, and barely at all. Betsy, Blink, they say they should wake up in the next week or month, but Paige might not wake up at all. And, everyone else..... Kali suddenly stood up and headed towards the door. Zillah didn't call after her, she coudln't. She coudln't feel her body anymore anyway. They had all died. Everyone was gone. The Legion was the only family she had ever known, and out of the 45 that had gone to Okinawa base, only 7 had come home. Zillah closed her eyes and let the tears come. Once they started she found that they didn't stop. Zillah sobbed herself into a dreamless sleep that night. Everything had gone wrong._


End file.
